SATURDAY 9TH JUNE 2018

Nigeria Eyes $1.3bn from Asset Sales This Year Buhari appoints Shonubi new CBN Deputy Governor-Designate Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Nigeria expects to raise about N400 billion ($1.3 bn) via asset sales this year, part of which would help finance its record 2018 budget.

The Director General of the

Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, who disclosed this to Reuters, added that the government had a list of 11 assets it plans this year, either to sell to strategic investors or offer to private companies to lease and run on concession, ranging from

power assets to sports stadiums.

Sources have also said the government planned to sell part of its stake in Nigerian Reinsurance Company through an IPO in November.

The BPE DG added that the federal government had finalised

plans to start a post-privatisation programme for its power sector with a $1 billion credit from the World Bank to boost power distribution and transmission which has underperformed.

In 2013, Nigeria, which is plagued by blackouts, started

selling parts of its moribund state electricity firm in a privatisation that was meant to improve power supplies and attract billions of dollars in new investments - neither of which happened.

Okoh said the power sector was among 37 per cent of

privatised enterprises that had underperformed, without providing a figure on how many assets have been sold.

He added that the country had attracted $7.8 billion in foreign Continued on page 6

FG Invites Ex-SDP Governors, Nwosu, Ayu for June 12 Democracy Day Ceremony

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Buhari Signs Bill StoppingVP, Deputy Govs from Seeking 2nd Term Three other bills granting state legislatures, judiciary autonomy signed Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed a Constitution

Alteration Bill Number 16 disallowing any vice-president or deputy governor who succeeds his boss on account of death or

resignation from seeking 2nd term in office.

The bill, which was orchestrated by the experience of former

President Goodluck Jonathan, who after succeeding the late President Umaru Yar'Adua contested elections twice.

While he won the first election, he was defeated at the second attempt but both the preparation for the election and the

outcome heated the polity like furnace as it marked the first Continued on page 6

Obasanjo: FG Plotting to Arrest, Detain Me

Atiku alarmed, urges government to retrace steps PDP: It confirms our fears that our dear nation has descended into a police state We will not be distracted by frivolous allegations, says FG Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta and Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday cried out over alleged plot by the agents of the federal government to arrest and clamp him into detention.

The former President in a statement released by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, attributed the alleged plot to his constant criticisms of the “inadequacies and bad policies of the Buhari’s APC-led.”

In a swift reaction, former vice president Atiku Abubakar expressed serious concern about Obasanjo’s claims and advised that government and its agents should retrace their steps “to avoid aggravating the already over heated polity.”

However, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Buhari administration would not be distracted by “frivolous allegations from any quarter.”

Obasanjo in his statement claimed that he had become an enemy of the APC-led administration, following his State-of-the-Nation special statement on January 23, 2018, “which is an aftermath of the current desperation to frustrate, intimidate and blackmail him into abandoning his divine mandate to protect the rights of the people to better life and living continued unabated.”

The statement reads: Based on information, impeccable security sources have alleged Chief Obasanjo's name is on their watch list and that the security of his life cannot be guaranteed.

"Many of these agents of government that are in the top echelon of the nation’s security management and close to the corridors of power, the operatives are daily perfecting how to curtail the personal liberties of the former President and hang a crime on him.

"Ordinarily, we would not have dignified these reports with Continued on page 6

Soldiers Allegedly Kill Mother, Six Months Baby, Two Others in Bayelsa Raid … Page 10

THE DRUMMER BOY ...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo displays his drumming skills to the admiration of Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi during the VP's courtesy visit to the governor in Ibadan ... yesterday

Tinubu’s Men Plotting against Ambode’s Second Term, Says Oki

...Page 6

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FG Invites Ex-SDP Governors, Nwosu, Ayu for June 12 Democracy Day Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has invited all former governors elected under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in in 1993 to the occasion of the historic designation of June 12 as Democracy Day and National Holiday.

A statement signed last night by the Secretary to the Govern-

ment of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, also recognised the former members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, including states chairmen and secretaries as at June 12, 1993, for the role they played in the struggle to entrench democratic ethos in the country.

Also included on the guest list were Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who as the Chairman of the

electoral body that superintended the freest election in Nigeria in 1993.

The list also had former Senate Presidents, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and Senator Ameh Ebute and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Agunwa Anekwe.

President Buhari, who on Wednesday declared June 12 as Democracy Day will confer a posthumous national honour of

Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), on Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presumed winner of the Presidential election in 1993 next Tuesday.

The statement by the SGF also said, the Late Chief Abiola's running mate in the election, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe will be decorated as a recipient of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), while hu-

man rights activist and fiery legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi will be posthumously invested as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

The investiture ceremony will hold at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja at 10.00 am.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogora, principal officers of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive

Council and all state governors, will be joined by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, SAN, Chief Bisi Akande, Ms. Ayo Obe, the DG News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Nosa Igiebor, Kayode Komolafe, Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori and the Director General, Hope ' 93, Senator Janathan Zwingina.

Tinubu’s Men Plotting against Ambode’s Second Term, Says Oki Vincent Obia A chieftain of All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr Fouad Oki, has alleged that some close allies of the party’s national leader and former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu, are sabotaging the second term bid of the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Oki made the allegation on a Lagos Talks 91.3 FM programme,

Morning Digest.

The APC chieftain, who emerged factional state chairman at the recent congress of the party, named those in the thick of the anti-Ambode plot to include Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Oshinowo, popularly called Pepper. The two men are fervent supporters of

Tinubu.

Challenging Aregbesola and Oshinowo to publicly deny the plan, which he claimed they had shared with him, Oki stated, “I think they should be man enough to come out to say what the governor has done that they are not happy with. It’s not by keeping the man in the dark and not telling him exactly what it is and then carrying hosanna in the day and crucifying him at night,

they should be man enough to come out.�

Oki accused the Osun State governor and the legislator of causing destructive divisions in the Lagos State chapter of APC with their struggle for control of party structures.

He, however, pronounced Tinubu blameless in the alleged scheme to frustrate Ambode’s second term.

Oki said: “Anybody trying

to bring Bola Tinubu into this matter is unfair. Really, if there are personalities in the issue, it would have been Governor Aregbesola and Hon. Bayo Oshinowo who on their own decided that everybody must be roped into line by joining by fire by force the mandate group. And because they have their issues with the current state governor, they have made up their mind on what the likely result of party primaries would be. If

they have issues with Governor Ambode, they should not bring it or situate it within the party process.�

Oki also said he had a cordial relationship with Ambode, stressing, “I don’t have any reason to say this is what the man has done against me.�

He criticised the state APC congress that produced Alhaji Tunde Balogun as chairman as lacking in internal democracy.

over-heated polity. “The alert by President Obasanjo is coming against the backdrop of earlier alerts by some leaders, especially those of the opposition of deliberate and orchestrated attempt to intimidate and frame them up. “I wish to state without equivocation that President Obasanjo is a historical figure in Nigeria's democracy and that the primary purpose of government is to provide security of lives and property of all citizens and residents irrespective of their status, political affiliation, religious inclination and ethnic leanings. “Our nation has lost so much precious lives and property that we can no longer afford to travel that road again. I wish to appeal to President Buhari to call the security agencies to order in order to douse the tension in the land.�

PDP: It conďŹ rms our fears that our dear nation has descended into a police state In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also expressed worry over alleged move to arrest Obasanjo “on trumped up charges and detain him indefinitely.â€?

The party in a statement yesterday said the revelation coming from a Nigerian of Chief Obasanjo status was terrifying “as it has heightened the tension in the polity and confirmed our fears that our dear nation has descended into a police state where any Nigerian, who holds a divergent view to President Buhari 2019 re-election bid, becomes endangered.�

In the statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the alarm by Chief Obasanjo had further shown that the PDP had not been crying wolf regarding the plots by the APC-led federal government to frame, arrest, detain and arraign political opponents of the APC, including regular

Nigerians, for holding or canvasing opinions that are divergent to the interest of those in power.

Ologbondiyan said: "We invite Nigerians to note the travails faced by perceived opponents of Buhari Presidency including Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Shehu Sani and Dino Melaye, who had raised similar alarms in the past. “PDP urged Nigerians to note how APC controlled security forces, on Wednesday, arrested and detained opposition members in Ogun state, including a member of the House of Assembly, Hon Adebiyi Adeleye, who was going about their legitimate activities, only to tag them as cultists.

"The PDP condemns APC’s resort to persecution, intimidation, harassment and framing of our members, as well as dissenting voices, just to suppress the opposition ahead of the 2019 election.

"PDP wants the APC and Buhari Presidency to note that no amount of coercion, intimidation and illegal arrests will alter the determination of Nigerians to vote out the dysfunctional APC and rescue our nation from the shackles of the Buhari Presidency and its misrule, come 2019.�

We will not be distracted by frivolous allegations, says FG

In his reaction to the Obasanjo allegations, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Buhari administration will not be distracted by “frivolous allegations from any quarter, especially those cleverly choreographed to divert attention from a widely-acclaimed presidential proclamation and to shore up support for a waning and egotistical cause.�

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, the Minister said the federal government was too busy trying to clear the mess of 16 years and “building on its unprecedented achievements over the past three years, to waste its energy and time on framing up anyone or dwelling on issues that are not grounded in fact.�

He said while those who have skeletons in their wardrobes should be afraid even of their own shadows, innocent persons need not worry about any investigation, whether real or imagined.�

He continued: ''This administration will never engage in a frame-up of innocent citizens.

That is neither in the character of President Muhammadu Buhari nor in that of his administration. Only the guilty should be worried. To paraphrase an African proverb, a man who has no wife cannot lose an inlaw to the cold hands of death.�

OBASANJO: FG PLOTTING TO ARREST, DETAIN ME a response but for the fact that many of these informants are not known for flippant and frivolous talks. Secondly, this government has demonstrably exhibited apathy, and in some cases, encouraged by its conduct, daily loss of lives and property in many states of the country, the office cannot be indifferent.�

The statement alleged that the current government was gradually becoming dictatorial and averse to constructive criticism.

"We are currently in a nation where the number three citizen is currently being harangued and the number four citizen is facing similar threat within the same government they serve. There is a groundswell of our nationals that live in fear that they could be hounded, harassed, maimed or even killed as the battle for 2019 takes this worrisome dimension.

"For Obasanjo, this is a joke carried too far and being someone who do not act on unofficial information, he had cautioned all informants and adopted a wait-and-see attitude to the bestial propositions allegedly being contemplated to cow, cage and embarrass him.

"The content of the alleged beastly designs, it was learnt, are two-fold for now. One, is to seize his international passport and clamp him into detention indefinitely in order to prevent him from further expressing angst on the pervasive mediocrity in the quality of governance, economic management and in the protection of lives and property by the government.

"But, since that could expose the government to a swath of international condemnation, embarrassment and outrage, it is said that another plot being hatched is to cause the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-open investigation

into the activities of Chief Obasanjo’s administration using false witnesses and documents.

This will be a re-enactment of the Abacha era in which Chief Obasanjo was one of the principal victims.

"The same EFCC that had conducted a clinical investigation into the activities of Obasanjo's eight-year administration, in and out of government, it was said, would now be made to stand down the existing report that gave Chief Obasanjo a clean bill of health on the probes, are now to get him indicted, fair or foul for possible prosecution and persecution like it is being done to real and perceived opponents, enemies and critics of this government. “Dissent is a fundamental principle on which liberal democracy is predicated. A true democrat must be ready to live with and accommodate dissent and opposition," the statement said.

Besides, it alleged that the Buhari government had sunk itself “into shameless desperation to cow opposition, a resort to blackmail, despotism and Gestapo-like tactics being employed by the agents of the government.�

The Obasanjo statement continued: "For the record, Chief Obasanjo reiterates his readiness to face probe again after that of the House of Representatives, the Senate, the ICPC, and the EFCC, but before an independent, objective and credible panel of enquiry to account for his eightyear stewardship in government and beyond. “Chief Obasanjo makes it abundantly clear that he has taken a principled position to ensure that the ship of the Nigerian State does not capsize and he remains steadfast in his resolve to turn the tide of maladministration, poor economic management and rudderless governance model that has

torn Nigerians apart on account of religion and ethnic diversities which is a great threat to our democracy.

"We would like the government and its supporters to understand that no amount of campaign of calumny, no matter how well contrived, orchestrated or marketed would deter Chief Obasanjo from calling a spade by its name. Chief Obasanjo is a patriot whose sole agenda is to ensure that the country’s unity, progress and democracy are not negotiated on the altar of incompetence and provincialism and mediocrity.

"It is important to point out that chief Obasanjo is one former President and Head of State who has engaged the current administration privately and in a bilateral manner on several issues of direct interest to the government and other matters of national concern. That channel of private engagement remains open and continues.

"However, should there be the need for public engagement, the right to free speech will always be exercised and jealously guarded, again in the best interest of Nigeria and the government."

Atiku Alarmed, Urges Government to Retrace Steps On his part, former vice president Atiku Abubakar said he received with serious concern, “the purported alert raised by Obasanjo of an alleged plot by the government to arrest him on trumped up charges.�

In a statement by his media office yesterday, Atiku said was disturbed “by this turn of events in our dear country considering the huge price that was paid for us to have democracy.�

He continued: “I wish to advice that government and its agents should retrace their steps to avoid aggravating the already

NIGERIA EYES $1.3BN FROM ASSET SALES THIS YEAR investment into 53 privatised entities.

President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to sign the 2018 spending plan into law. Parliament approved a budget of N9.12 trillion, higher than the N8.61 trillion the government presented to lawmakers in November, after delays.

Budgets under Buhari, who took office in May 2015, have been Nigeria’s largest ever. However,

the country has struggled to fund its expenditure as oil prices dwindled from 2014, tipping Nigeria into a recession, which it exited last year.

Buhari appoints Shonubi New CBN Deputy Governor-Designate President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja appointed Mr. Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi as a Deputy Governor-designate for the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Announcing the appointment

in a statement, Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Shonubi's appointment would be subject to Senate confirmation.

According to him, the nominee is the current Managing Director of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) which he described as the financial payments, facilitation and settlement platform that

is instrumental to the growth in electronic payments in the Nigerian financial industry.

The statement added that before assuming the headship of NIBBS in 2012, Shonubi had garnered decades of executivelevel experience in financial service operations especially as the Executive Director at the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Renaissance Securities Nigeria Ltd. and Ecobank Nigeria Plc.

BUHARI SIGNS BILL STOPPING VP, DEPUTY GOVS FROM SEEKING 2ND TERM time an incumbent president was defeated.

Briefing journalists after the president's assent, National Assembly Liason Officer, Ita Enang said contesting and winning elections the second time would amount to taking an oath of office the third time.

Enang also said Buhari signed Constitution Alteration Bill Number 21 which authorises the conclusion of disputes arising from the nomination of candidates for elections before the general election.

The Act puts paid to situations where a number of elected politicians had to be removed from office after being sworn-in.

With the president's assent on the bill, situations which saw the declaration of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as governor without contesting election as a result of lingering pre-election matters can

no longer arise.

Enang said: "There is another of the Act which has come into force today. It's Constitution amended number 21 which relates to the determination of pre-election matters.

"It has reduced the date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure that pre-election matters in court do not get into the time of the elections and do not pend thereafter.

"The relevant sections of the constitution had also been amended by this Act, therefore amending the Constitution.

"The other one is Bill Number 16 which is now an Act and the intent of that Act is to ensure that where a vice president succeeds the president and where a deputy governor succeeds a governor, he can no more contest for that office more than once Cosntinued on page 8

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY JUNE 9, 2018

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News Editor Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x; ͸΀͚͚͞ͿͽΠ΀͚͸ Ě™sms only) Email Ă‹Ă’Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ë›Ă™Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x;̜ÞÒÓĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

EXPLORING TOURISM...

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, the Honourable Commissioner, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the President, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Bankole Bernard and Mrs. Adelola Adewole, Vice President, Lagos Zone during the visit by oďŹƒcials of the Association to the Ministry today

Birnin-Gwari: Again, Armed Men Kidnap 22 Travelers, Nursing Mother 2,000 widows in Borno receive relief materials From Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Michael Olugbode, in Maiduguri

Twenty three travelers, including a nursing mother, were kidnapped yesterday morning by deadly bandits operating in Birnin-Gwari axis of Kaduna State.

This is just as 2,000 women in Borno State widowed by Boko Haram have been given relief materials during the ongoing Ramadan season by a non-governmental organisation, Complete Care and Aid Foundation.

Speaking to PRNigeria on how

the 23 people were kidnapped, one of the commercial drivers named Mohamed Kebi, who escaped the scene of the kidnapping, said that five vehicles were intercepted during the abduction.

Kebi said: "At least five vehicles were intercepted by Kidnappers along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna road around 11.00am this morning Friday (yesterday). At least 23 people were kidnapped, including a nursing mother and one other kid.

"The incident occurred at Kwanartsauni between Udawa and Labi.

"Though there is improved security along Funtua route which

many commercial vehicles ply, we want the government to also provide maximum security in other routes that are haven of Kidnappers," he concluded.

In a related development, the troops of 223 Battalion deployed in operation Idon Raini on June 6, 2018 embarked on a raid operation at Danguru, Babandoka Forest of Dansadau district in Maru Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State, following a report of bandits’ activities in the area.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brig-Gen. Texas Chukwu, yesterday stated that three

Dickson: Buhari Must Summon Courage to Restructure Nigeria Emmanuel AddehinYenagoa Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday lauded the declaration of June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, but maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari must quickly move to restructure the country in the interest of all Nigerians.

The governor who spoke during a media chat at the Government House, Yenagoa, noted that aside honouring Chief Moshood Abiola, the late politician should be declared president posthumously.

Dickson argued that though the gesture was belated, it remained a first step to partly addressing the wrongs of the past, whereas fully restructuring the nation would put Nigeria on the path of sustainable development.

He also called on President Buhari to urgently sponsor an executive bill to the National Assembly to legitimise the proposed declaration of Abiola as winner of the election and back it up by an Act of Parliament by working

with the legislature.

While also declaring that the honour done to Babagana Kingibe, Abiola's running mate and the national awards given to the late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi were in order, Dickson noted that a restructured Nigeria would address the current dysfunctional system, over-concentration of power at the centre, and the expropriation of the resources of the Niger Delta.

The Governor urged the President to give due recognition to the then Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu for his uncommon courage and commitment to the conduct of transparent elections in June, 1993.

"As member of House of Reps, I co-sponsored a bill to immortalise MKO Abiola to address the wrong done to Abiola and our democracy. So I believe by the president’s proclamation, he continued from where we stopped and in my opinion, it was the right thing to do.

“It is better late than never. The timing has made some people raise issues, but l go by my fundamental positions. I believe this will go a long way to redressing some wrongs of the past. “Ours has not entirely been a nation of fairness and justice and this is an effort to address an aspect of it.

It is a noble act and I congratulate the awardees and the president, though there are issues of legalities raised, but the substance of it is commendable. “As I mentioned in the course of my meeting with him (President Buhari), I believe, the president should show the same poise and patriotism on the issue of restructuring and showing presidential leadership and direction as he has done on the issue of June 12,� the Governor said.

He added: “There’s no doubt that Chief MKO Abiola, his running mate and a lot of pro-democracy activists were wrongly treated."

I am in support of it even though the timing and circumstances has given it some form of colouration.

of the bandits were killed during the encounter and their camps also destroyed.

Chukwu said the troops also embarked on raid operation in Gobirawa and Kwacha villages around Madaka Forest, still in Dansadau district in Maru LGA of Zamfara State.

He said two of the bandits were neutralised during that encounter while others fled following the troops’ superior fire power.

According to him, the troops are making efforts to get the fleeing bandits, and that a motorcycle and a mobile phone were recovered from

them. The DAPR advised the public to report any suspicious activity or movements to law enforcement agents for prompt action.

On the relief materials, the 2,000 widows that benefited were selected from two local government areas of Borno State, Maiduguri and Njimtilo in Konduga, by Complete Care and Aid Foundation, established by Barrister Aisha Wakil, popularly called Mama Boko Haram, to take care of victims of ongoing insurgency in the North East.

The 2,000 women were given relief materials yesterday to assist them break their Ramadan fast daily.

While presenting the relief materials to the women from Maiduguri, Aisha Wakil said the decision to give to this large number of women was taken because many of them were without food and that they may not have anything to eat during this holy month.

She asked other well-meaning individuals to assist widows and other victims of Boko Haram get back on their feet.

Mama Boko Haram said: “We have to make these women feel the society needs them and we can only do this if we wipe tears away from their faces.

Buhari Signs Bill Stopping VP, Deputy Govs from Seeking 2nd Term "And the fact is that having taken the oath as president once, and you can only contest for once again and no more. That is the intent of this amendment." Enang also disclosed that the president signed the Fourth Alteration Bill which grants autonomy to Houses of Assembly and the judiciary in the 36 states of the federation.

He explained that with the signing into law of the Constitution Alteration Bill, the state houses of assembly will now operate like the National Assembly by having their budgetary allocations automatically transferred to their accounts by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

According to him, the judicial arms in the states will also enjoy similar financial independence as their budgetary allocations will no longer go through the budgeting process of the executive arms in the states but will be transferred directly to their own accounts.

He said: "Well, this allows the State Houses of Assembly to operate like the National Assembly does, because the National Assembly does not get its money from the executive.

"It provides money in the statutory

transfers which the Ministry of Finance will automatically transfer to the account of the National Assembly.

"Just like that of the (federal) judiciary, you see the judiciary sometimes gets N150 – N170 billion, sometimes, a little bit about N100 billion. It does not go through the executive and it does not go through the budgeting process of the executive.

"It is transferred directly to the account of the judiciary, which is the head of courts. When the Houses of Assembly are doing their budgets, the amounts standing to the credit of the judiciary will now be going through the statutory transfers which will be statutorily transferred to the heads of the courts. And then, that of the State Houses of Assembly will stand transferred to the House of Assembly of the state.’’ On the autonomy for states' judiciary and states House of Assembly, Enang said: "I just want to inform you that His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari today assented to the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill which grants financial autonomy and independence to the Houses of

Cont’d from Pg.6

Assembly of the respective states and to the Judiciary of the respective states.

"Therefore, upon this signature, the amounts standing to the credit of the judiciary are to be now be paid directly to the judiciary of those states, no more through the governors and no more from the governors.

"And then the amounts standing to the credit of the Houses of Assembly of the respective states are now to be paid directly to the Houses of Assembly of that state for the benefit of the legislators and the management of the States Houses of Assembly."

The presidential aide also said Buhari signed Alteration Bill Number Nine which increases the number of days that the electoral commission has to conduct election run-off from seven to 21 days.

"The other amendment is Bill Number Nine, now an Act which gives the Independent National Electoral Commission sufficient time to conduct bye-elections. It has increased the number from seven to 21 days and generally widened the latitude of the Independent National Electoral Commission to handle election matters upon vacancy occurring.

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JUNE 9, 2͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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Saraki’s ‘Robbery Links’ and the Insolence of Dan-Ali I am still struggling to understand why the Police have been holding press conferences to celebrate the alleged confession of the Offa robbery gang to sordid links to Presiden t of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

These conferences are utterly unnecessary and a shameful celebration by the police.

For me, the police are just out to ridicule the Senate President as part of the war to decimate him. The leadership of the police apparently wants to be seen helping the Executive in this war against Saraki. The truth be told; it is all about the 2019 Presidency.

Unfortunately, the police have only succeeded in ridiculing itself and desecrating the entire country with its partisanship. In sane societies, discreet investigation would follow such confessions by criminals caught in the act; not media trial. This is why lucid societies don’t take us seriously. This Saraki media trial is thoughtless, insensitive and highly offensive. Decent people must all rise and speak up against shenanigans like this one.

The politicization of police investigations and summons must end. Nigerian police must learn to adhere to global standards in investigations and summons, so that we can exit the inglorious club of badly policed countries. It is so sad; in this part of the world, most of those in positions of authority seem to act under the influence of excessive codeine. The joint session of the National Assembly held on Tuesday to deliberate on shenanigans by heads of our security agencies and resolutions reached should challenge the Executive to have a volte-face and reinstruct heads of these vital federal agencies; they must stop playing politics with virtually everything. I concur with the NASS resolutions, particularly the caution to President Muhammadu Buhari to always adhere to the Rule of Law. I also agree that the “systematic harassment and humiliation by the Executive of perceived political opponents, people with contrary opinion, including legislators and judiciary, by the Police and other security agencies must stop” and that the President “must be held accountable for the actions of his appointees and must be ready to sanction those that carry out any act which will ridicule or endanger our country and

Saraki

democracy.”

For me, heads of our security agencies should channel the energy and resources being used to persecute perceived political opponents of the President towards tackling the killings across the country. I doubt if they are aware that in the early hours of Wednesday, killer herdsmen launched fresh attacks on Guma and Logo local government areas of Benue State, leading to the death of nine persons. These two local government areas have for months faced incessant attacks.

Aside from the killing of innocent Nigerians, security agents are also being killed in hundreds by killer herdsmen and Boko Haram.

These should burden our security chiefs.

This one is for our dear IGP Ibrahim Idris.

Just on Sunday, an inspector, a sergeant and a corporal were slaughtered by killer herdsmen at Maraban-Udege village in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The state Police Command has confirmed this.

The policemen were ambushed and killed on their way to quell a fight between Agatu farmers and Fulani herdsmen. This should

burden IGP Idris who recently sent hundreds of policemen after weaponless Senator Dino Melaye. He should please send these policemen after killer herders.

On the flip side, another of the President’s men who has been behaving strangely is Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.). With a man like this minister, this country will continue struggling to end killings. Notwithstanding the outcry against nomadic cattle rearing and the killings trailing it, Dan-Ali insists that this retrogressive practice must continue in our modern society. The defence minister on Tuesday in Abuja advised the nation’s Security Council presided over by Buhari to suspend anti-open grazing laws in Benue, Taraba and Ekiti states, while also demanding for safe routes for herders. He said this would be negotiated with the farmers. Only God knows what he means by this.

Dan-Ali seems unaware that the 1999 Constitution empowers state Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the states. He is shamelessly ignorant that states are empowered by the Land Use Act to take ownership and management of land resources and wants the federal government to dabble into the affairs of states.

Senator Barnabas Gemade was apt when he reprimanded Dan-Ali thus: “This is not the first time that we will hear this kind of absurd statements coming from no less a personality than the Minister of Defence.

If a Minister of Defence is calling for anarchy, where else can we find peace? We understand that the minister comes from Zamfara State and I wonder if all the killings in Zamfara that are almost equal in number with the ones in Benue, are also as a result of the anti-open grazing law. And if by his own experience, the killings in Zamfara have nothing to do with the anti-open grazing law, why does he believe that the killings in Benue and Taraba are because they enacted the laws? While we are looking up to the government for protection, and indeed looking up to the security agencies for protection, we get so dismayed by the attitude of those who lead these security forces.”

My dear Dan-Ali, nomadic cattle rearing is an aberration in any modern society. Ours can’t be an exception. Please, stop these retrograde moves.

Shehu Sani and the Running Cost Quagmire Nigerians now know how much federal lawmakers take home monthly, thanks to Senator Shehu Sani. This nonconformist threw numerous federal lawmakers into uneasiness with his recent disclosure that senators collect N13.5 million monthly as running costs. Sani has now extended his battle for full disclosure of running cost to the Executive arm of government at all levels. Certainly, Nigerians deserve to know what the President, Vice President, governors, ministers and heads of federal departments and agencies collect monthly as running cost in the spirit of transparency and anti-corruption. The senator representing Kaduna Central is calling on Nigerians to demand that all the public officers listed above should publicly disclose their running cost. I fully concur.

Querying the running cost of the Executive at all levels, the Senator said: “There should be no grey areas in public office; and now that Nigerians know what the members of the National Assembly are earning, they should also know the running cost of our ministers; what is the running cost of our governors? What is the running cost of heads of government parastatals? What is the running cost of presidential advisers, aides and the men around the government? And what is the running cost of the president and vice president? ”So, it may be unpalatable or painful that I revealed what we are being given every month but it has healed and

Sani

brought a close chapter to the fact that people don’t know what we are actually earning. Now we know. If you are doing some good to your people, they know very well that it is not an act of charity, not philanthropy; that you are giving them what rightly belongs to them.”

This is a just and patriotic battle and we must all support this senator. Recall that former Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Doyin Okupe, had also challenged President Buhari, Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo,

ministers, special advisers to the President, heads of government agencies, parastatals and other top government functionaries, to make public their running cost.

I stated in an earlier article that while tackling federal lawmakers over their running cost, Nigerians should also interrogate the Executive and Judicial arms of governments at all levels regarding running cost. All holders of elective and appointive offices still access huge amount of money as running cost in an era of change. Many will clearly be shocked if they know what ministers, heads of departments and agencies draw as running cost monthly. Maikanti Baru, who heads the NNPC, allegedly collects perplexing figure monthly as running outlays. The lady at the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman and my friend at NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, are also said to be drawing frightening figures monthly as running cost. In the Presidency, aides of Mr. President pocket millions of Naira monthly as running expenses. These public servants should make public their running cost in the spirit of “Change.” There should be transparency in an era of change.

A country where millions of people now wake up without breakfast and go to bed without dinner can’t afford these follies.

A country where millions of civil servants have not been paid for months can’t afford a treat like this. A country with a comatose economy, where millions of graduates roam the streets without jobs must not continue with this luxury of huge running cost.

Gbajabiamila

A Word for Femi Gbajabiamila The lawmaker representing Surulere (Lagos State) Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila recently empowered his people. I was shocked to see him distributing motor cycles, 160 in all, to young men in this area dominated by “area boys.” If Gbajabiamila truly wants to empower them, it should be with skills and not encouraging them to become “Okada” riders. I doubt if Gbajabiamila knows that using “Okada” for commercial transportation is a signal of a failed society. I am sure that he did not experience this in all his years in the United States. With his 160 “Okadas”, this lawmaker has simple shown his flawed determination to sustain an “Okada” generation instead of a skillful generation.

On the flip side, Gbajabiamila pretends to be unaware that “Okada” riding has been destroying lives across our country.

He needs to visit “Okada” ward at the National Orthopedic Hospital in Igbobi, Lagos, to see the number of “Okada” accident victims brought in daily, followed with a large number of amputations.

This lawmaker and other legislators who indulge in empowering our youths with “Okada” must immediately end this folly.

My dear Gbajabiamila, emphasis should be on empowering our teeming jobless youths with enduring skills that will make them self-employed. This country must build a skillful generation and not an “Okada” generation.

Still on NNPC’s Losses I have just gone back again to read the string of losses recorded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in the last three years. I am still shuddering. NNPC recorded a total loss of N546.63 billion during this period, according to statements on its website. The corporation’s unaudited financial operations showed losses of N267.14 billion, N197.49 billion and N82 billion in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, in contrast to its budgets that showed operating surpluses of N466.94 billion, N334.04 billion and N601.15 billion for the three years under review. Its ineffective refineries and fuel-retailing arm are the biggest money guzzlers. While other state oil corporations in places like Norway, Brazil and Saudi Arabia are making money for their governments, ours keeps devouring money; wasting money in an era of depression.

Money guzzling is the name of NNPC’s game. Not long ago, this corporation told a bewildered nation that petrol consumption had jumped to 60 million litres daily, with N1.7 trillion paid as subsidy in 2017. Many are questioning these new figures. NNPC’s petrol import and expenditure claims are cloaked. I doubt if they are verified by an independent body. A responsible government will privatise the loss-making refineries and liberalise the oil downstream to stem this ugly trend. Unfortunately, this has refused to happen in Nigeria amid so much poverty. The big men who use NNPC as a cash cow have refused to allow this happen.

They control any government that emerges in mother Nigeria. What a country!

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

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NEWS

In Brief ‘Why We Tried to Kill Our Victim’

Some members of a six-man robbery and kidnapping syndicate that kidnapped, robbed and attempted to murder a businessman in Ebonyi State, Mr. Monday Udoka Oke, have recounted how the operation went down and why they tried to kill the businessman.They spoke in Abakaliki after they were paraded by the Police in the state alongside other crime suspectsrecentlyarrestedbythecommandforvariouscrimes.Inaninterview with journalists, Chinonso Desmond who led the group confessed to the crimes. He said they shot and tried to kill Oke because one of them, MD who is still at large suspected that the businessman who owns Monabliss hotel Abakaliki recognised and would identify him. �It is my friend MD Mohammed that introduced me into kidnap of Monablis. It was in the night that they called me on phone in Enugu State and I came down to Abakaliki for the kidnap of the man . I was smoking with them, we discussed how to execute the kidnap. We moved to the street where Monablis hotel is located. We were smoking and saw Monablis when he was coming out of his hotel and we followed him up.

Shonubi Nominated CBN Deputy Governor

TRADING IDEAS...

L-R: The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola and Olota of Ota, HRM Oba (Prof) Adeyemi Obalanlege at the Ministerial Conference on super high way Project, held yesterday in Cotonou, Republic of Benin

Soldiers Allegedly Kill Mother, Six Months Baby, Two Others in Bayelsa Raid Ijaw youths demand intervention of international community Emmanuel Adeh in Yenagoa The alleged killing of four persons, including a mother and her six-month old baby in Oluasiri, Nembe local council of Bayelsa State, has sparked anger among Ijaw youths.

THISDAY gathered that soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe (OpDS), who were purportedly in search of suspected militants opened fire on the victims, instantly killing four of them.

Among those confirmed dead were one Mr. Wilson Patason, Mrs. Beauty Gamage, her baby and another man whose name could

not be immediately ascertained.

Calls to the Spokesman of the JTF in the region, Maj. Ibrahim Abdullahi, indicated that the phone was switched while messages were yet to be responded to at the time of putting this report together.

During the raid which occurred on Thursday, many persons were wounded and are said to be undergoing treatment for various levels of injuries, during the operation launched to dislodge the suspected militants and sea pirates allegedly hiding in the community.

However, a security source alleged that the soldiers returned fire, following attacks from the suspected militants, a claim indigenes of

Oluasiri community debunked insisting that the military attack was unprovoked. “Some suspected sea pirates and militants had been residing within the community. The armed militants were residing in the community forcefully and had become lawless which perhaps caused the security operations.

"But as you know, these boys also pay some military men and may have been tipped off by some of their military friends. They had left the community before soldiers arrived. The soldiers arrived in six gunboats and started shooting indiscriminately. It is sad and unprofessional", the source said.

However, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has expressed anger over the killing of the mother, her child and two others.

The body maintained that the victims were a case too many of the harassment of innocent Ijaw people and communities by the JTF which it said randomly invaded areas in the region under the guise of looking for criminals.

Mr. Alfred Kemepado, Secretary General of the youth body insisted that communities in Bayelsa and the entire Niger Delta now live in perpetual fear of death since it had now become commonplace for killing of innocent and harmless children and women.

PresidentMuhammaduBuhariyesterdayinAbujanominatedMr.Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi as a Deputy Governor-designate for the Central Bank of Nigeria. Announcing the nomination in a statement, Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said Shonubi'sappointmentwouldbesubjecttoSenateconďŹ rmation.According to him, the nominee was the current Managing Director of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) which he described as the ďŹ nancial payments, facilitation and settlement platform instrumental to the growth in electronic payments in the Nigerian ďŹ nancial industry.The statement added that before assuming the headship of NIBBS in 2012, Shonubi had garnered decades of executive-level experience in ďŹ nancial service operations especially as the Executive Director at the Union Bank ofNigeriaPlc,RenaissanceSecuritiesNigeriaLtd.andEcobankNigeriaPlc.

Leadway Assurance MD Bags Award

The Managing Director, Leadway Assurance, Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale, has been named human resources Champion of the year, at the 2018 HR People Magazine Award. The Human Resources Director, Leadway Assurance,Mrs.KunbiAdeoti,whoreceivedtheawardonbehalfofHassanOdukale noted that it was in respect of the Hassan-Odukale’s unwavering commitment to the promotion of human capacity development in the organisation. According to her, “Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale understands the need to build a formidable workforce as a critical factor to the success of an organisation.The key lesson for us is that we do not to relent, continue to do more and raise the bar. We must continuously build upon the human resources strategy and initiatives that have brought us this far and look inwards to re-invent our drive towards building a unique organisation with fantastic people experience. Employee experience is an underlying factor in our talent management strategy as positive experience and building leadersremainsourtoppriority.�TheawardcomesonthebackofLeadway’s recent recognition as the Best Insurance Company in use of ICT at the 2018 BoICT awards.

Al-Makura Frees 63 Inmates

Mortuary, Casket Business Air Peace Crew Exposes Thrive in Abia as Poverty Traffickers of 3-month Increases, Alleges SDP Baby to Banjul

Governor UmaruTanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State yesterday released 63 prison inmates serving jail terms in various prison formations across the state. Consequently, out of the 63 inmates released by the governor, 35 were granted prerogative of mercy while 28 had their outstanding ďŹ nes paid to grant them freedom. Addressing the pardoned inmates at the state ministry of justice headquarters in LaďŹ a, Governor Al-Makura, who was represented by his deputy, Silas Agara, said his administration had been passionate about justice of criminals, particularly about prison inmates, as the administration had committed huge resources to take care of feeding and accommodation of inmates in the state since 2011. He said: "The aim of releasing the inmates in the prison formations across the state is to achieve dual purpose of decongesting the prisons and reuniting the released inmates with their loved ones. "Government is concerned about over-crowding of prisons hence it would do much to decongest the prisons and as well uphold the rule of law."

Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia

Women in Business Magazine Debuts

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has lamented the upsurge in the business of mortuary operators and casket makers in Abia State, saying that it was symptomatic of bad governance and neglect of people’s welfare by the present administration.

However, when THISDAY called Enyinnaya Appollos, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu the Abia State to react to the claim by SDP, he said it was a funny story which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP should react to as a party, adding that we could go ahead and publish.

Steering chairman of SDP, Hon Chidi Nwosu stated this in a chat with journalists in Umuahia where he gave a damning assessment of the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu over the past three years. “The only thriving business in Abia State today is mortuary and casket business,� he said, adding, “it is a sad development indicating that more deaths are being recorded

in Abia.

He noted that the people of Abia were being subjected to “untold hardships� by their government which had refused to pay its workers their well-deserved salaries, while retirees are denied gratuities and pensions.

According to him, the state government had created the “stifling environment� that make Abians to be dying of hunger and sickness as they could neither pay for food nor afford the cost of medical services.

Nwosu, who is a former state lawmaker, said that no fewer than nine casket-making ventures had sprung up along Umuahia - Uzuakoli road, adding that the Ikpeazu administration had no moral justification to allow Abia people to be dying “like mosquitoes sprayed with powerful insecticide�.

He said that the situation had worsened to the extent that even with the upsurge in casket business in Abia the demands for caskets were not being met hence Abians go across the border to source it from Akwa Ibom State.

Chinedu Eze

Air Peace crew members on Monday foiled an attempt by two women to traffic a three-month-old baby boy on the carrier’s LagosBanjul flight.

Sources said the suspected traffickers were exposed mid-flight when the airline’s crew members noticed a baby crying inconsolably.

THISDAY learnt that attempts by one of the suspected traffickers, who claimed to be the baby’s mother, to soothe him failed.

An informed source disclosed that when the crew members suggested to the suspected trafficker to breastfeed the baby, she declined.

Scared that the baby’s cries were attracting attention, the woman who claimed to be his mother requested for water from the crew.

The crew, however, noticed that the alleged mother was fumbling in giving the baby the water.

THISDAY also learnt that the name of alleged mother of the baby was Mrs. Ibeneme Edith Omon Anthony.

The airline said the alleged

trafficker had a return ticket (Banjul-Lagos-Banjul) and disclosed that she travelled into Lagos from Banjul alone.

She, however, added the baby boy whose name was identified as Prince Dominion David Anthony, to her ticket when leaving Nigeria on Monday.

Mrs. Anthony was accompanied by one Mrs. Andy Emrald Bassey who claimed to be a pastor.

Informed source from the flight narrated that when suspicion grew that the baby was either stolen or being trafficked, the crew summoned the alleged traffickers to the back of the aircraft for questioning.

They allegedly told the crew members that the baby was a child from a surrogacy arrangement.

Dissatisfied with the response, the crew notified Air Peace team at the Banjul International Airport in The Gambia of the development.

When the flight landed in Banjul, Air Peace staff accosted the two alleged traffickers and the two women were separately questioned.

A creative business magazine, "Ladies-In-business" to help develop and grow upcoming women entrepreneurs is set to hit the newsstands across the country. The magazine was birthed as a platform to celebrate and appreciatefemaleownedbusinesses.Accordingtothepublisher,Adeshola Onadipe, prior to this time, it was found that women were not found in the fore-front of business operations across the country and the corporate worldduetovariouschallengestheyhadbeenencountering. SheidentiďŹ ed one major challenge as the inability to balance family and social life with their business life and this had brought about many conicts in terms of what a woman should achieve and what she should not. "Candidly, a woman can actually achieve it all, but of course, not at the same time. It will all come through at one phase or the other. Hence, the focus of this magazine is on the totality of how a woman can still make it despite all challenges through ideas, innovation and change.

‘I’m Creation of Nigerian Judiciary’

TheSenatorrepresentingAnambraCentralSenatorialdistrict,ChiefVictor UmehhassaidthathewasacreationoftheNigerianJudiciary.Umehstated this on Friday when he was honoured with an award as Man of the year by theAnambraStatecouncilofNigeriaUnionofJournalist,AnambraCouncil.

UmehwhodedicatedtheawardtotheNigerianjudiciaryrecountedhowhe startedhispoliticaljourneyin1998afterasuccessfulpracticeasasurveyor.

The Senator said he had encountered several battles and owes victory for all of them to the uprightness of the judiciary. From his legal battles to defend his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance and its political cause which began over 15 years ago to the reclaiming of his senatorial mandate, Umeh commended the Nigerian judiciary for standing for the truth, despite the odds. Umeh was sworn in January this year after three years of legal battle resulting from the 2015 general elections.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

NEWS

Youngest Chibok Girl Turns 20 in Captivity Today Nigeria, Yemen, top neglected global crises list Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The youngest Chibok girl abducted

by Boko Haram in 2014, Maeda Dorcas Yakubu, turns 20 years old in captivity today.

Human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, who disclosed this, added that Yakubu was just 15 years old at the time of her abduction by terrorists from the Chibok school on April 14, 2014.

It also emerged yesterday that African countries, including Nigeria, top the Norwegian Refugee Council’s latest annual list of neglected displacement crises for a third year in a row.

Dorcas who is an exceptionally bright student, resulting in her reaching final year at a record breaking age, was featured in two videos released by the terrorists.

Ogebe asked Nigerians to pray for her release “as there have been no negotiated releases of Chibok girls by the government in over a year now.�

Meanwhile, African countries, including Nigeria, top the Norwegian Refugee Council’s latest annual list of neglected displacement crises for a third year in a row, with the humanitarian organisation saying that thousands of displaced persons had been abandoned by the politicians.

The report obtained from the humanitarian agency’s website by THISDAY yesterday listed Nigeria among the top 10 crisis-ridden

countries being neglected by the comity of nations.

In a related development, the United States government said a comprehensive political and security solution was the only way to end the current humanitarian crisis in Nigeria.

The NRC’s list of neglected displacement crises is based on three criteria: lack of funding, dearth of media attention and political and diplomatic neglect.

Apart from Nigeria, other countries listed are DR Congo, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Burundi, Ethiopia, Palestine, Myanmar, Yemen, and Venezuela. “The crises on the African continent seldom make media headlines or reach foreign policy agendas before it is too late. The price is paid by mothers not being able to feed their children, youth being deprived from education and entire nations becoming dependent on emergency aid,� the NRC Secretary General, Jan Egeland, said in a statement made available to THISDAY on Thursday by the organisation’s spokesperson, Tiril Skarstein.

He noted that there was little willingness, both locally and internationally, to find a way out of the crises in the countries, pointing out that a lack of geo-political importance, too many actors with conflicting interests, and too few willing to protect the interests of the civilians may be

EFCC Inviting Our Contractors to Inquire about Our Projects, Says Wike Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government had started inviting contractors executing projects in the state to inquire if the projects were real.

This is as the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, declared that Rivers State was lucky to have Wike who was transforming the state through the execution of pro-people projects.

Speaking during the inauguration of Abacha Road in GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike regretted that the EFCC and the Federal Government were working desperately to distract the Rivers State Government.

He said: "EFCC are now inviting our contractors to inquire if the projects

we are executing are fake or real.

"Instead of encouraging us to continue with our good works, they are working desperately to distract us. EFCC should go to non performing states.

"I want to tell our contractors that we are not afraid because we are doing the right thing for the people of Rivers State ".

He said Rivers State was witnessing real development, hence it was confident to invite prominent Nigerians with pedigree to inspect and inaugurate key projects.

The governor urged the people to protect projects in the area, saying that the state government would not tolerate street trading on newly constructed roads.

Wike said the reconstructed Abacha Road had created the right environment for businesses to thrive and commended the businesses along the route for supporting the contractor by supplying their workers food.

US announces $112m humanitarian assistance

FOR BETTER SERVICE ...

L-R; Head, Competition and Tari, Nigerian Communication Commission, Mr. Bashiru Idris; Head, Payment System, Overside, Mr. Musa Jimoh; Executive Director, Business Development, Diamond Bank Plc. Chizoma Okoli; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Geosansar, India, Nish Kolecha; and Managing Director Africa, MicroSave, Kenya, Isaac Ondieki, at the 2018 Digital Pay Expo, Sponsored by Diamond Bank held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, yesterday‌ SUNDAY ADIGUN responsible for the ongoing chaos. “Sadly, the reality is that people affected by crises that are neglected by the public, the media and the politicians, end up receiving less humanitarian relief. The list should serve as a reminder, both for us as humanitarian organisations, for the

media and for politicians,� Egeland said.

More than two million people are currently displaced in Nigeria because of the ongoing insurgency in the North-east and the farmers-herders conflict across the country.

Meanwhile, in a statement made

available by US Department of State, the Donald Trump administration has announced the release of nearly $112 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help people in Nigeria and surrounding countries in the Lake Chad region affected by the ongoing crisis.

“The funding in today's announcement will provide life-saving aid to hundreds of thousands of people, including emergency food, nutrition treatment, shelter, health care, safe drinking water, services for survivors of sexual violence, and support to children separated from their families.

Offa Robbery Attacks: Olofa Clears Saraki

Nigeria Economically Still Not Independent, Says Cleric

Hammed ShittuinIlorin

Omon-Julius Onabu inAsaba

The Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoue II , has absolved the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki of any complicity in the robbery incident that took place in Offa, Kwara state on April 5, this year.

He however said that the people of Offa would not be a party that would ridicule Dr.. Saraki in any disguise.

The Olofa, a first class traditional ruler gave this verdict in a statement signed by his Principal Private Secretary, Dr. Tajudeen Oloyede.

Oba Esuwoye also called on the police to be alive to their responsibility and avoid unnecessary sensationalism in the handling of the investigation into the robbery incident He said as far the people of Offa were concerned, Saraki had taken Offa as his second home and had been supportive of all activities and development projects in the town.

He added: "The Senate President, always heeded to our call anytime we

approach him on any issue concerning the progress and security of our ancient town.

"The Offa people are well bred citizen of Nigeria and we are appreciative of people who have extended hands of fellowship to us. Dr. Saraki is one such person and thus we hold him in high esteem.

"When the Offa robbery incident happened, the Senate President was the first top public official to pay a visit to our town and right there in the Palace in the glare of the High Chiefs and other well-meaning personalities, the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Saraki

put a call to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, requesting him to make necessary security arrangement which our people has long been yearning for.

"The Senate President also donated substantial money to help some of our people who were in distress as a result of the robbery incident and he also made substantial contribution towards the building of a new police station.

Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev. Michael Elue has charged Nigerians, especially those in positions of authority, to brace up to the enormous challenge of turning around the country's social and economic fortunes, saying Nigeria was today not independent economically.

Speaking at funeral of the late Senator Francis Nwajei at Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Asaba on Friday, the cleric said that such a day called for serious soul-searching by the living, calling on those in authority in Nigeria to ask themselves if they were sincerely committed to the development of the country or thinking solely about themselves and their families.

Bishop Elue, who spoke through the Chancellor of the District, Very Rev. Fr. John Aduba, decried "the senseless killings in the country," noting that ''though Nigeria is an independent nation politucally, it is

economically in prison.''

He called for 'a new Nigeria where those in authority will serve the people of this country conscientiously and with the fear of God.'' While extolling the sterling qualities of late Nwajei as a man of simplicity who had the fear of God, the Bishop observed, "for Christians, death is not something to be afraid of because, Jesus defeated death, to die is to live, we gain eternal home when we die in Christ. ''No matter how beautiful where we live on earth, it is nothing compared to the mansion in the city of God for those who believe," he stressed.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State was joined at Requiem Mass by former governor, Chief James Ibori, some members of the National Assembly, political bigwigs in the state, an array of religious and traditional rulers to mourn with the widow, Mrs. Violet Nwajei and other family members during the requiem Mass at St. Patrick's, Asaba.

Obaseki Assures Commitement to Preserve, Regenerate Edo Forest Assets

Olumba Obu: We're Not Blood Suckers

Adibe Emenyonu inBeninCity

The Universal Leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba Obu, has declared that his followers were not vampires or blood suckers contrary to the belief of some people.

He described his followers as practical Christians who follow the life of Jesus Christ but expressed regret that some member of the public from different backgrounds were always scared whenever they observed his followers in their midst.

Obu, who was represented by one of his ambassadors, Samuel Enoch, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt during a sensitisation visit to Rivers

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government had resolved to take proactive steps to regenerate and preserve the state's forest assets to conform to global practices.

Obaseki stated this yesterday in Benin City, after receiving the report from the 16-man Advisory Committee on Forestry, inaugurated in April to assist the state develop effective frameworks in managing her forest assets in line with international best practices with focus on forest reservation, preservation, conservation

and regeneration based on a report presented by Pro-Forest.

He said the state’s forest assets required urgent action on regeneration, noting, “An executive bill for a law on forest regeneration has to go to Edo State House of Assembly and we will not waste time in implementing the law�.

According to him, the state government would study recommendations made by the committee and lead conversation around forest regeneration, adding that the state would come up with policy guidelines and action plan based on the recommendations before the end of June.

“We must do something urgently on forest reservation. Our advantage is that we have a history and something to fall back to on forest reservation.

It is our responsibility to restore our forests,� he said.

Chairman of the 16-man Advisory Committee, Dr. Felix Idumah, said the committee was set up because of the governor’s concern about rejuvenating the state’s forestry assets", the governor said.

He said findings in the report revealed a high level of degradation, deforestation and depletion of the state’s forest resources, noting, “The forest assets are no longer there."

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

State to light the Centenary torch marking 100 years of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.

He said, "We are, this year, celebrating 100 years of his (Olumba) physical manifestation. We are here to tell the public that we are not blood suckers; we are not vampires.

"The spirit of God does not allow us to be scared of anything because one with God is in the majority. We are in Rivers to light the Centenary torch and when this happens on Sunday (tomorrow), Rivers will know peace."

He declared that with the lighting of the centenary torch in Port Harcourt, peace would return to Rivers State.

“As we light the centenary light, peace will return to Rivers State.

There will be no more violence,� he declared.

He stated that the grand finale of the 100 years of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star would hold on December 30, 2018.

On the killings in some parts of the country, Obu maintained that those that kill would also be killed.

He stated that no form of protocol would save Boko Haram members and killer herdsmen from facing the wrath of God. "God says we must love one another; God is watching everybody. The world is in crisis because there is no more love.

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COMMENTARY

THREEYEARS OF THE BRIDGE BUILDER Anselm Okolo writes that Sokoto State Governor, AminuTambuwal, has done remarkably well

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minu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has lived a life of selessness and sacriďŹ ce for the good of the greater society. He has led a revolutionary leadership since he mounted the saddle as governor of Sokoto State three years ago.

A highly cosmopolitan Nigerian, he does not discriminate on the grounds of tribe, religion or geography. As speaker of the House of Representatives this was very evident in his selection of his immediate aides and staff from all religions, cultures, ethnic groups and regions in the country.

He is an uncommon bridge builder across the many tribes, religions and geographical contours in the country. This makes him comfortable being in any part of the country. On record, he has travelled to all the nooks and crannies of the country, to honour friends and associates, sometimes to the surprise of his hosts.

As speaker of the House of Representatives, he was reputed to have visited nearly all the country homes of his colleagues in the House who had milestones to celebrate. AWT has a super knack for listening, which makes it easy for him to accommodate all shades of opinions and leanings. Forever in pursuit of knowledge, Tambuwal believes that it is in the maze of the exchange of ideas, convictions and discussions that the best in people and issues can sprout.

His quest for and pursuit of the general good has benefited immensely from his forgiving heart. This was most tested during his election to the position of speaker of the House of Representatives.

It was a very fractious campaign that called to question his personal security at many times and pitched him against his colleague from Oyo State, the anointed preference of the executive arm of government. Once the election was over, Tambuwal let go of all acrimonies, choosing instead to rally everyone, including all those who opposed him, together for the common good - a united and forward looking House of Representatives.

Tambuwal is a Muslim who believes in religious tolerance and a society where all the religions should co-exist peacefully.

He has an enduring disposition to the welfare of the poor and needy in the society. This has informed his charity works and contributions over the years and personal sacrifices for the education of the poor and underprivileged in the society. No person with need ever leaves his presence without receiving some form of succour. Many Nigerians have set up flourishing businesses and schooling as a result of his benevolence.

He is a man of high integrity. His word is his honour. He is fearless in the face of intimidation and threat to personal safety. His mission has been and is still the defence of the superiority of the law and the social contract to manage for public good, public treasury entrusted to his watch. He has lived up to this promise. Tambuwal was remained clean of financial scandals in all of his public leadership positions.

As speaker he was unblemished; as Governor of Sokoto State, Tambuwal has been a shining example of selflessness and prudence in the management of public finance. He has been quoted to say that government must show value for money.

His public life has been driven by a quest for a society where the wealthy and strong must use their expertise and strength to ensure a system where the weak can find space and encouragement to excel.

Tambuwal has been an example in the service of humanity.

Tambuwal believes in a strong and independent legislature. He

HIS MISSION HAS BEEN AND IS STILL THE DEFENCE OF THE SUPERIORITY OF THE LAW AND THE SOCIAL CONTRACT TO MANAGE FOR PUBLIC GOOD, PUBLIC TREASURY ENTRUSTED TO HIS WATCH

favours a robust legislature in a presidential system of government. He also believes in cooperation between the legislature and the executive to deliver good governance to the people.

It was this belief that led to his decision to present himself for service as a member of the House of Representatives and was elected to represent Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal constituency of Sokoto State in 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

By 2004, he became the minority leader of the House, from which position he rallied and mobilised his colleagues int o the strongest opposition movement the House of Representatives ever witnessed.

His rare leadership qualities were acknowledged by his colleagues as equal to none.

By this time the political situation in Sokoto State had changed dramatically. After wide range consultations with his constituents Tambuwal agreed to re-contest for the Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won.

Now no longer in the opposition in the House, Tambuwal was easily elected the deputy chief whip of the House, which was the only principal officer position zoned to the North West at that time, allowing him to bring his vast legislative experience and leadership to bear on the management of the larger segment of the House.

In 2011, when Rt. Hon. Tambuwal again stood for and won election to the House of Representatives, he had become one of the most experienced and ranking members of House.

By then, Tambuwal’s integrity, knowledge of the rules and procedure of the House had made him an asset to his colleagues and the legislative activities.

It was therefore not surprising that when the time came to elect a speaker for the House, Tambuwal was the preferred candidate of his colleagues. His nationalistic vision, his leadership by consensus, and his popularity with people across party, religion and ethnic lines, had earned him their trust to lead the seventh House of Representatives as speaker.

Undeterred by the rancour of the campaign that characterised his election as speaker and the sometimes man made pits that were sponsored and dug by the leadership of his own party, Tambuwal went on to supervise a very successful House of Representatives, devoid of the controversies, corruption and jostling for power.

Tambuwal’s political and public life has been a harvest of awards of excellence and recognition. Even in Sokoto state where he has been governor for just three years, he has been recognised with the UNESCO 2018 Education Solution Stakeholders Award for his pursuits and service to the people in the field of education. While presenting the award at the United Nations headquarters Millennium Hotel in New York, USA, Chairman of the award committee Dr Hul Hsu said the award is in recognition “of his selfless contribution to quality education in his state.�

Reminiscing on his life and achievements in public service, his colleague in the House of Representatives then and now the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) describes Tambuwal’s leadership as “exemplary and unparalleled,� adding: “he (Tambuwal) has an uncanny ability to be at 100 places at the same time. He is a bridge builder per excellence�.

Okolo, a communications specialist and journalism trainer, wrote from Abuja

JUNE 12 AND SANCTITY OF TRUTH The declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day is a significant step in redressing an injustice perpetuated against Nigerians, writes Tayo Ogunbiyi

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pon hearing the news, my die hard proJune 12 associate was overly emotional.

Tears poured down his face as he tried to sink in the reality of the news. Indeed, not many saw it coming. The several self- acclaimed ‘seers’ and ‘Octopuses’ in the country did not predict it.

The news of the resurgence of June 12 jolted many like a thunderbolt. The more antagonists of June 12 thought they had finally nailed and buried what the date represents, the more its ghost continue to further haunt and prick their conscience.

Several calls for the immortalisation of Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12 election, were continually rebuffed. Same goes for the calls to recognise June 12 as the nation’s official Democracy Day. But like it is often said, truth is constant.

Though it can be suppressed for quite a while, it cannot be permanently obliterated. Over the ages, ruthless men have variously tried to repress the truth. Some murdered those they thought hold the key to the truth. Others proscribed media they believed could help in preserving the truth while others did everything they could to silence the voices of truth. But then, historically, conspiracies against the truth have always failed.

In the annals of our country’s political history, June 12 remains a watershed. That is the truth that many do not want to hear. But then, truth does not become truth because it is validated by man. No matter the depth of denials, truth

remains truth. No more, no less.

The truth is that no matter how hard its opponents try, for many reasons, June 12 will continue to be a watershed in the annals of our nation’s political history. It was the day that Nigerians expressed a strong resolve to chart a new course for their beloved country. It was the day that Nigerians redefined and reshaped the nation’s political scenery. Prior to that time, our politics sharply reflected our palpable religious and ethnic divides. But on June 12, all that changed.

Chief MKO Abiola, who was the presidential candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), had more votes in the northern part of the country than Alhaji Bashir Tofa, his northern challenger from the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).

One other remarkable feature of the June 12 election is the electorate disposition to religious sentiments and concerns. In 1993, the defunct SDP was bold and daring in its conviction that fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket (Abiola and Kingibe) would not jeopardise its electoral success. The party went ahead with its conviction and recorded a resounding success at the polls.

But for the annulment of the poll’s result, such audacity could have effectively checkmated religious contemplations in our political scene.

Sadly, the then ruling military junta led by General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), annulled the result of the June 12, 1993, election, thereby ensuring that the acclaimed winner, Chief MKO Abiola, was unable to claim his mandate. Indeed,

he died in that process. Sadly, the annulment of the June 12, election threw the country into needless chaos that opened a floodgate of sorrow, tears and blood. Thus, an election that was supposed to cement our unity was used by ‘powerful’ force to further divide the country.

Sadly, most of the principal antagonists of June 12 are holding or have held very prominent positions in the current political dispensation.

Now, the resurgence of June 12 should draw attention to certain fundamental issues that need to be critically addressed in our nation. One is the need to banish ethnic and religious sentiments from our body politics. This is a fundamental lesson from June 12. Closely tied to this is the need to always ensure that future elections in the country are free, fair and credible. June 12 election has been adjudged as one of the freest in the country. Perhaps, that is why its ghost has continued to haunt its adversaries.

Equally, it is important, at least for the sake of posterity that Prof Humphrey Nwosu, the Chief umpire of the election comes out to give the true picture of what transpired, especially leading to the annulment. At what point was he prevailed upon to annul the election? Who were those that tried to suppress the voice of the people? Why has he kept silence for so long? Perhaps, more importantly, there is a need to have an official release of the complete result of that historic election.

Furthermore, it is imperative to further propel the wheel of justice as evidenced in the

posthumous honours bestowed on Chief Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a leading pro-June 12 voice. The point here is that if justice must be properly done as it concerns June 12, those who conspired to ‘kill’ the people’s mandate must be made to face justice. Also, the death of those who lost their lives in the process of the struggle for the revalidation of Chief Abiola’s mandate must be probed and those found culpable in their death must face the music. The truth is that evil triumphs in any society where it continually goes unpunished.

Also, it is imperative for political leaders across the country to always weigh the future import of their actions, especially as it concerns posterity.

Only God knows how the man that annulled the June 12 election and his collaborators would be feeling right now. Right in his lifetime, a significant step is being taken to redress an injustice he perpetrated. The political class, at all levels, must take a cue from this in all they do.

When he wrote in Julius Caesar that the evil that men do lives after them, legendary writer, Williams Shakespeare, was alluding to the fact that evil deeds in history are often more easily remembered than the good ones. A cursory dip into any history book will confirm this. In Julius Caesar, one of the purposes of Mark Antony’s speech is to mitigate any evils that Caesar may have committed while highlighting the good that he did.

Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

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INSIGHT

Victory at last...

The Case for Decentralisation of Electricity Transmission

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n line with the calls for the devolution of power to the states, there have also been calls for a review of the legal regime that governs the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, with a view to engendering the full participation of states in the provision of electricity to the Nigerian people. The Nigerian electricity supply industry consists of a number of stakeholders, and prominent amongst them is the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is responsible for the transmission of electricity across an inter-state transmission-network, otherwise known as the �national grid�.

The TCN since its establishment has made concerted efforts to expand the national grid. However, in spite of its best efforts, the transmission of electricity and the entire NESI has remained fraught with challenges, ranging from liquidity-challenges, to obsolete and decrepit transmission and distribution infrastructure that conspire to keep Nigerians in darkness. As a result of these inefficiencies, Nigeria which has an available capacity of 7,000 megawatts (mw), only manages to transmit and distribute an average of 4,000mw.

There are those who have suggested that the development of mini-grids is the solution to the myriad of problems confronting the NESI. However, as laudable as the mini-grid initiatives are, the deployment of mini-grids would still be insufficient to meet Nigeria’s anticipated demand, which the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing puts at 19,100mw. Furthermore, doubts have been raised about the economic viability of mini-grids in Nigeria and according to studies conducted by Nextier Power, a management consultancy agency, “mini-grid developers would have to charge poor rural customers tariffs of about $0.55 - $1.00 per kilowatt (approximately N200-N360 per Kilowatt), which is significantly higher than the N28 the distribution companies are presently charging grid-connected customers. The argument against the development of regional grids has been its capital-intensive nature. Yes, it is true that the development of regional grids will be relatively expensive, but what is even truer is that regional grids will help solve our seemingly intractable power problem. It is also noteworthy that projects of this nature, with their strong economics and social impact, are bankable projects that lend themselves to public-private partnership (PPP) funding, and so interested state governments and their partners would not need to break the bank to develop them. It is noteworthy that the World Bank in its 2017 State of Electricity Access Report, China, via its regional grid-based electricity transmission system has succeeded in providing 900 million people with access to electricity.

It is submitted that the fundamental problem of the NESI is its faulty business model, which is predicated on a flawed legal and regulatory regime that derives its validity from an equally defective and counter-productive political-economic system, as embodied by the 1999 constitution and ancillary legislations. Thus, whilst appreciative of the government’s sincere efforts to force our overly-centralised electricity industry to work, it

is submitted that the most pragmatic solution to the myriad of problems confronting the NESI is to effect the total liberalisation of the Nigerian power sector, particularly the transmission segment, with a view to establishing regional transmission grids and engendering a truly liberalised and competitive electricity market.

Thus, to achieve this goal, there must be an amendment of the 1999 Constitution, which makes electricity-transmission the exclusive preserve of the federal government, and the EPSRA 2005, with a view to effecting the devolution of power to the states of the federation, for the purpose of engendering their full participation in the provision of electricity and to permit them or private firms to build and maintain inter-state electricity transmission grids. The reality of the Nigerian situation is that economic activities are domiciled within the states and this has a direct implication for the involvement of state governments in the provision of critical infrastructure that are incidental to the creation of the enabling environments for businesses to thrive.

The deleterious centralisation of the electricity industry has stunted our development, and as Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka recently noted, “centralisation‌has been the bane of the nation on any level you choose and nothing will answer the necessity of a harmonious relationship and development of its parts, other than a severe curtailment of the control of the centre over the functioning of its parts.â€?

Ugochukwu Amasike, ugoamasike@yahoo.com

Between Arewa Youths and IPOB

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he federal government lost a golden opportunity to de-escalate lawlessness by not immediately clamping down on Nnamdi Kanu and members of Arewa youths who have overtly challenged the corporate organism of Nigeria and use every available instrumentality of the law to keep them in the cooler at least until more urgent national problems are resolved.

The opportunity would have infused balance and injected equity in the aggravation of primordially sensationalised polity. The Arewa quit notice will continue to resonate in its novel template as the most infantile erosion of corporate national value and a new low in overreaching the threshold of decency.

It’s never too late to effect the arrest of the so-called Arewa youths and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) exhubrant revolters and finally put all secessionist incendiaries in abeyance.

The disciples of Ipob ideology are quick to interpret it as the right to associate and even venerate it with the garb of freedom of speech as if freedom of speech is an entitlement for a licentious infringement on the freedom of others.

History has recorded many ideologies that survived generations not because of the incendiarism and hostility of their founders but because of their viable societal expediencies and ascendancy.

The hallmark of such ideologies is never shrouded in esoterism or equivocations as it is apparent in the cases of Ipob and the Northern youth.

Martin Luther was able to immortalise his dream, part of which culminated in the emergence of Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States not by violence or insensate rhetoric but through persuasive intellectual engagement that compelled Abraham Lincoln and generations of white technocrats to buy into the abrogation of slave trade even though this historical denouement is being circumvented by Donald Trump’s supremacist hegemony.

Nigeria is not an exclusive fiefdom of those that want to defend suicidal ideologies and T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R have brainwashed thousands who are herded EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE into confrontation with the state apparatus in MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO their hypnotised gullibility.

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE The demographics of the patriotic peace CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI loving and the law abiding citizens who also EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN reserve the right to the existential indivisibility of Nigeria are left vulnerable and at the mercy of the Northern youths and the Kanus of this world.

Why would the Ipob overreach itself and T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D threaten those that wanted to exercise their EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, franchise during the last Anambra election? Is ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI one right superior to another?

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE It is even incomprehensible that this threat DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI has gone unchallenged by the intelligentia SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH conclave of the eastern extraction apart.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO Kanu and Arewa youth should face the full CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO wrath of the law and the federal government must not vacillate on it. Nigerians are tired of TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com these repugnant threats to their peace.

Bukola Ajisola, bukymany@yahoo.com

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COVER Paul Unongo

APC is Treating Herdsmen Crisis Like PDP Handled Boko Haram Insurgency APC Government Should Admit Its Mistake and Rethink Security Architecture of Nigeria Federal Government Seems Overwhelmed by Killings The former Convener of the Nothern Elders Forum, Paul Unongo, is mad about the killings going on in Nigeria. He wants the All Progressives Congress-led federal government to treat the security issue in the country like malignant cancer and get rid of the killers – whether they are herdsmen or militants. In this Interview with Bayo Akinloye, Unongo also warns the government of President Muhammadu Buhari against allowing the current violent conicts to degenerate into a religious war

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re you worried about the spate of killings going on in states like Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa?

I must be mad if I am not worried. I don’t even know the word to describe the wanton killings going on in some states across the country.

But some people are claiming that the killings are not as widespread and wanton as being portrayed.

The killings are not limited to the Middle Belt. We know what’s happening in states that border northern Chad. There have been several killings in Zamfara State. Then, the killings spread to Adamawa State; the killings spread to Kaduna, Kogi and spread further in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Plateau states.

Killings have been going on in these places.

The north-eastern states have witnessed similar killings. Therefore, the killings appear to be everywhere. What, perhaps, interests people is the expansion of the killings that are taking on religious connotation. The killers have started going into churches –where people are holding religious services. They even killed priests, reverend fathers of the Roman Catholic Church, including the parishioners.

Also, I learnt the killers went to another church where they killed more people. So, this is what seems to be the fate of Nigeria now.

Do you think the state and federal governments are doing enough to stop the killings and bring perpetrators to book?

I don’t believe that the state government has anything to do with security – the constitution is very clear (on that). The maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the government. But in terms of enforcement of law and order, the application of arms (to resolve violent conflicts) is exclusive to and is the responsibility of the federal government. So, the federal government appears overwhelmed by what is happening. I don’t believe it is the responsibility or the duty of the state government –like in our Middle Belt

states it is so terrible that even Dane guns, arrows, bows, knives, and machetes were considered dangerous weapons and seized from the locals who could have defended themselves against the attackers who have AK-47s. After confiscating them, these people (the attackers) unleashed mayhem on our people. Therefore, the responsibility (to stop and arrest the attackers) rests squarely on the federal authorities that have been saddled with the duty of guaranteeing the safety of life and property.

You asked whether, in my judgment, the federal government has done enough. I think they were slow in believing that this is a serious problem. I think they acted as if they felt the killings were not going to be as serious as they have become. I pray that this country will never fall into this situation again. During the (President Goodluck) Jonathan era, we made almost the same sort of mistake when the spate of killings started in Borno State and Yobe – people thought it was something that would (soon) go away. But it metamorphosed into something that is large-scale called Boko Haram –abducting our girls in school, committing all manner of atrocities.

So, I think it is proper if people criticise (the current administration) like we did during Jonathan’s administration for not reacting enough to be effective in dealing with the very serious security situation that evolved in the North-East. I think we can accuse the APC (All Progressives Congress) government also for thinking that we have lived with the Fulani herdsmen for hundreds of years and they had never been what we are seeing now. So, they thought that this was a passing phenomenon.

And, when it started becoming something where 20 people, 30 people ended up like the drama in Benue where 75 people were killed.

I think at such a time the government should have reacted much quicker to contain the violence and then have a proactive approach to the issue of security.

We think the security architecture of Nigeria –we should know now that Nigeria has been selected by terrorists –like what happens elsewhere in advanced countries, the

I pray that this country will never fall into this situation again. During the (President Goodluck) Jonathan era, we made almost the same sort of mistake when the spate of killings started in Borno State and Yobe – people thought it was something that would (soon) go away. But it metamorphosed into something that is large-scale called Boko Haram –abducting our girls in school, committing all manner of atrocities. So, I think it is proper if people criticise (the current administration) like we did during Jonathan’s administration for not reacting enough to be eective in dealing with the very serious security situation that evolved in the North-East

Unongo

JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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COVER Perpetrators of Killings Want to Cause Religious War in Nigeria Middle East, and Arab countries. We should now settle down (and realise) that what we are dealing with is a terrorist phenomenon and we should not be sentimental at all.

We should think proactively and have a very careful strategy of containment while resolutely pursuing and rid our country of this bad cancer. Malignant cancer requires a surgical operation. Such surgical operations are required in some states of Nigeria to get rid of cancer of massive killing –it’s just too much.

There have been too many killings. Any forms of killings stifle economic growth; they bring about misunderstanding among the various multiethnic groups in Nigeria. In a country like Nigeria, you cannot allow some people to kill selectively on the basis of tribe or religion.

It would appear as if somebody is goading Nigeria into a religious war and the government ought to know –the APC government should know –that this is the type of war that nobody should pray for. This kind of war will spell doom for Nigeria. I say, yes, they’re doing something about it now. But I think they took too long (to respond adequately). They took the security situation as something that was going to go away (on its own). We lost some opportunities to contain it. But I think the government should intervene frontally; we should be proactive and we should fish out all the attackers and those aiding the herdsmen. When you have a (malignant) cancer you have to excise it. You will be in trouble –it will spread – (if you fail to do that). This is what is happening in Nigeria.

Prominent Nigerians like Gen. TY Danjuma and religious organisations like the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria have suggested the need for self-defence, accusing the security agencies of being complicit in the killings by herdsmen.

What is your view on that?

I think the government would be mad if they were supporting the killings. I don’t think any proper government will knowingly support any terrorist organisations whether it is peopled by your tribesmen. Nobody, no organisation, no group of human beings and no country can develop amidst the massive killings going on in Nigeria. I don’t know if indeed I have seen members of the government saying something like the perpetrators are from their tribe, so I would support them.

I think they must be told very quickly that it cannot be that way. I don’t think any government will have that as a policy. I don’t think that the government of (President Muhammadu) Buhari will consciously promote the kind of killings we are witnessing in the country. This is a man as a military dictator quelled the phenomenon that invaded Kano called Maitatsine –it was an extremist Islamic group. People were criticising Jonathan that he did not go far enough to contain Boko Haram, thinking it was a joke, that the sect had members in his cabinet. If he knew that why did he not deal with them? When Buhari assumed power he degraded the terrorist group.

He chased Boko Haram insurgents out of the Nigerian territories they once occupied. Is it reasonable to conclude that the same person who is fighting the insurgents is responsible for the killings we are experiencing? I don’t believe so. I think there may be some sympathisers (of the killer herdsmen) within his government that they don’t read the phenomenon correctly. I have already said at Makurdi and a lot of people were angry with me that if the federal government would not defend us, we should organise and defend ourselves –it’s a human thing. It’s something recognised by the United Nations’ charter. A human being has to react automatically to protect himself, his wife, family, and his property. What is going on in Nigeria is a tragedy. I think we should not politicise the situation. We’ve made mistakes, let’s correct the mistakes. Let’s get rid of this phenomenon. Those who feel this phenomenon is a joke should come and ask me and let me tell them the tragedy in Benue.

What we are experiencing are coordinated mass killings and if the government is not looking at the issue that way I will say we’re in trouble. We should react effectively with military power. We should react with propaganda. We should react with educating of our people. We should allow the citizens to also help the government to find intelligence. We should also arm citizens to protect themselves (against attackers). If the government is projected as being associated with the killers it will be most unfortunate. It is not in the bad behaviour of the present head of government –he has not done that before; I am not saying he cannot do it. APC meant well; it is a mistake and they should rethink the security architecture of Nigeria. They should admit they made a mistake and plan a more serious approach to tackle the herdsmen (-farmers) conflict

Unongo

that is going on in the country otherwise they will be shocked to discover that they have another security challenge like Boko Haram on their hands. Nigerians’ minds have become so blunted that when we hear one or two people have been killed, that is not news to us. Nigeria has become so deep in blood that when you hear that 30 or 100 people have been killed, then it is news.

It will appear that you’re not satisfied with the way the federal government is handling the current security situation in the country... (cuts in.)

It is not me. I am too old and too mature; I know there’s a government in the seat. There is a government of Nigeria –that government has handled this type of situation before.

What they are doing now – they’re not handling the security situation at the level that Nigerians want. An election is coming next year, they should quickly rethink the security architecture otherwise Nigerians will have to vote this government out. Nigerians cannot tolerate this kind of killings. It is a huge crisis the government has on its hands. The killings are not about two communities involved in a clash. The killings are not just about Fulani cattle herdsmen –we shouldn’t think this issue will go away. It has not gone away. Believe me, it is only the federal government under Gen. Buhari that has authority to do something.

Therefore, all ideas should be directed to him.

He had dealt with a situation like this before.

He told us he would degrade Boko Haram and he did it. He stopped the Maitatsine in Kano. The herdsmen crisis is getting out of control let him react appropriately since he’s the only one given constitutional power to apply force in the country legally. Let him rethink and let him ask people –people like myself we know something about intelligence, security and there are many Nigerians who are asking him to rethink and accept what they thought was a joke, a simple thing has gone beyond what’s looked upon as a simple thing.

The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria suggested to President Muhammadu Buhari to resign in view of his seeming inability to stop the ongoing killings... (cuts in.)

No. No. I am not interested in that. I am not interested in asking anybody to resign.

So, if he resigns whom do you think that will get us out of the mess? Is it Jonathan that will come and do better than him? Why didn’t

he do it (when he had the opportunity)? This kind of question should not be addressed to me. People are being killed every day in the church. People should analyse carefully that the intention of the perpetrators is to provoke a religious war which will do nobody any good. A government that will allow for the break of a religious war in Nigeria, surely there must be something wrong with it. So, they should be proactive, firm and stop the killings.

I am not here to gain any political points by saying ‘Obasanjo is going to do it better’ or ‘Jonathan is going to do it better’; or the ‘Third Force is going to do it better’; those are jokes.

Let the government take advice from us and act accordingly. We can point out where they can improve and get rid of the criminals. After we have finished dealing with killing spree perpetrated by the criminals then we can come back and talk politics.

You’re a prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum. Lately, there has not been a statement by the group condemning the latest killings in Benue State... (cuts in).

You’re behind schedule; I have resigned from the leadership of the Northern Elders Forum. Anywhere I go, whatever group I belong to, when I find that I cannot support any aspect that I contact critical aspect of my organisation, I give up the leadership. And, if it continues that way I give up the total membership of the organisation. I was serious when I was the leader of the Northern Elders Forum. I thought I would use myself and use the necessity for the bloc –known as North – to stabilise Nigeria and make it a great country.

But I am not going to be somebody that will say, ‘OK, we’re northerners and because we’re northerners we will support people to kill because they are herdsmen –or they’re militia defending herdsmen.’ I cannot support that.

So, I am not a spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum anymore. I intended to remain with them –the leadership has a different approach. I heard that even the leader now –I think Prof. Ango Abdullahi – was alleged to have said some time ago that they should kill people and if the country wants to break up it should break up. I do not support statements like that. I don’t know the thinking of Northern Elders Forum. When I was part of the leadership, we agreed that the unity of Nigeria should not be negotiated in terms of a breakup. I don’t know if that still stands among the current leaders of the forum. When

What is going on in Nigeria is a tragedy. I think we should not politicise the situation. We’ve made mistakes, let’s correct the mistakes. Let’s get rid of this phenomenon. Those who feel this phenomenon is a joke should come and ask me and let me tell them the tragedy in Benue. What we are experiencing are coordinated mass killings and if the government is not looking at the issue that way I will say we’re in trouble. We should react effectively with military power. We should react with propaganda. We should react with educating of our people.

We should allow the citizens to also help the government to find intelligence. We should also arm citizens to protect themselves (against attackers). If the government is projected as being associated with the killers it will be most unfortunate. It is not in the bad behaviour of the present head of government –he has not done that before; I am not saying he cannot do it. APC meant well; it is a mistake and they should rethink the security architecture of Nigeria I was part of the leadership, our loyalty was to Nigeria and then, the indivisibility of the Nigerian nation-state. Our duty was to make Nigeria more democratic and we love the people of Nigeria. We love the Yoruba; we love the Igbo; we love the Hausa; we love the Tiv. We love all the people of Nigeria. We believe that each one of them could a lot into this wonderful country known as Nigeria. We couldn’t have supported the current killings as an organisation by the cattle herdsmen.

When I was part of the leadership we issued a statement condemning the killings. I believe that was the position of the northern people.

I am not interested in crisis for crisis’s sake.

The country is facing a dire situation at the moment. There is a phenomenon of mindless killings –mind-boggling killings –of people of this country by a militia group that claims to be loyal to cattle herdsmen. I want the government of Nigeria to face them and get rid of them and allow displaced people to return to their homes and resume the enjoyment of what is conferred on them by Nigerian citizenship. A lot of people have been displaced, that is my concern right now.

Some prominent Nigerians feel that without renegotiating the unity of the country things will continue to go bad. Do you think it is necessary at this point to consider the call for renegotiation?

I don’t like people who just talk –let them write what they want us to renegotiate.

Let them write down what they want to be renegotiated and let them show us the modality. Anything that can be done to make Nigeria great I am all for it.

16

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Mojisola Kolade How I Set Up First Black Hospital in Connecticut, USA

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

PLUS

Why I Joined Ekiti Governorship Race

An Amazon with a finger in many pies, she multitasks. A nurse, midwife, pharmacist, medical doctor, farmer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and lately, politician. Confident, compassionate and creative, Dr. Mojisola Kolade is Imbued with dynamism and is reputed for setting up the first black-owned hospital in Connecticut in the United States of America. In this interview with Adedayo Adejobi, she shares her life struggles to raise six siblings with her widowed mother, going to America and making it big by dints of hard work and ingenuity, and how her husband’s love has sustained her. She also shares her involvement in Nigeria’s murky waters of politics and quest to become Ekiti State governor... excerpts An Intimidating Profile in Courage he is not your conventional woman. She parades an intimidating resume dotted with degrees and professional certificates in nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, medicine, farming, and entrepreneurship, rolling a life of philanthropy into politics. Born in OyeEkiti, Ekiti State, her heart of care saw her attend University College Hospital and Sacred Heart Hospital, bagging a diploma in nursing and midwifery respectively. In addition, she attended St John’s University in New York, earning a bachelor of science in pharmacy. In 1984, she found love in the kind heart and caring arms of Ebenezer Adekunle from Erin-Ijesha, Osun state.

After a brief career as a pharmacist, Dr Mojisola Kolade enrolled at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated as a medical doctor. She went further to complete a post-doctoral training in Family Medicine and became a board certified consultant physician. Over the course of 34 years in career in health and business, Dr Kolade has worked as a staff physician and vice president at New Era Rehabilitation Centre, of which she is a co-founder. She has continued to dedicate her time to various philanthropic causes, serving presently the chief executive and managing director of Irede Farms Nigeria.

S

Raising Six Siblings: A Sweet Story Being the first of seven children at a young age, she came to the realisation that a lot had been thrown on her feeble shoulders having lost her father – to assist her widowed mother who worked extra hours to raise and care for her and the other children. Dr. Kolade recalled: “I’ve always been the second mum but when he passed away, it was obvious to me that the shelter is gone and I just had to grow up quickly and be the big sister. My siblings today, now grown up, said they couldn’t believe I was just 16 when I was raising them. I would take them places on Christmas Day in Abeokuta just to give them good time with my little money. Caring has been something I’ve been doing. Nobody was there when my dad left aside my mum, so I took responsibility. One of the reasons I

got married a little bit early because I had to mature and build my home.”

How I Set Up First Black Hospital in Connecticut In a country ravaged by racism, Dr Kolade achieved a feat by setting up the first black-owned hospital in Connecticut, United States of America. How did she do it? “I believe everything is possible with God. My husband has a fellowship in a unique speciality called addiction medicine.

He was an assistant clinical professor in a particular college in New York. So we started and I told him why we can’t have our own hospital. At first, he said, ‘Here I come again!’ But I told him it was do-able.

We started gradually together, tirelessly went through all the requirements and got certified by the highest certifying organisation in America. Being a nurse, pharmacist and a physician helped me in setting up the hospital. And for the first two years of the facility I acted in the capacity of a four-in-one administrator. It got to a point, it got to me. So, I started assigning responsibilities to other people. We have quite a lot of staff –so I was just supervising. I was highly gladdened and felt God was using me. I’m not the smartest. I was given the opportunity to serve the less privileged and the minority. To the grace of God, a lot of women in the minorities stood up from the organisation. They saw me as a role model, a beacon of light and hope.

Coming to Nigeria, America was following my political trajectory. Some were ready to come and campaign for me if I had won. They are very eager to let people see and know who their boss is. If had won the primary, Nigerians would have seen Caucasians and black women campaigning in Ekiti State.”

A Clarion to Return to My Roots At a time many are itching to leave the country for the US, she left a well-paying job and business empire to settle in Nigeria. This is the impulse behind her bold decision: “I’ve been in the US for at least 30 years. The greater part of my education was American. I have experience from both sides of the world. I felt it was time to give back and it’s very important to me.

I came to be part of the solution in a failed

I’ve always been the second mum but when he passed away,, it was obvious to me that the shelter is gone and I just had to grow up quickly and be the big sister. My siblings today,, now grown up, said they couldn’t believe I was just 16 when I was raising them. I would take them places on Christmass e Day in Abeokuta just to give them good time with my little g money. Caring has been something I’ve been doing

JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

19

PLUS How I Raised Six Siblings While Assisting My Mother system. It is not enoug enough to condemn Nigeria is what is going on in Nigeria.

N give it everything we ours and we must giv made some impacts in have. I believe I’ve ma have seen a woman Ekiti politics. People h can actually vie for governorship. I’m, supporting the governorhowever, support who has set up an ship candidate wh advisory a dvisory council aand he asked me tto o be one of them. We’ll give him the best advice and support him so we can have the best be administration in Ekiti.”

She recalled her h foray into delved into politics in politics: “I delv 2010. Turning 550, I started thinking about my life and a giving account to myself and it i struck me that I’ve and highly favoured been blessed an

by God. All my life, I’ve always back. Then it dawned loved to give b giving back in America on me that givi is not all that it i is to my life. I raised and grew up was born, rai until my early 20s in Nigeria un ventured out of the before I ventu then came back home country. I the So, the sense and got involved. invo brought me into of responsibility responsibi politics. started going back to p po litics. I star Ekiti to give giv back to my people.

I formed a foundation in Christiana Ebenezer 2012 – C We Kolade Foundation.

F sponsored and empowered widows, supported youths, wi schools and different communiknow the people ties. I got to k in town and the hinterlands, got involved with the Fayemi administration. I later realised administratio more work to being there was mo and giving money. I charitable an doing the easy work had been doi for the last 30 years. I then to go into took the plunge p politics. It is a calling. active po has been The experience exp exhilarating, no regrets. I exhil learnt quite a lot of leslea sons about my people so iin Ekiti –their needs, the politics and it even engraved my faith in God deeply. IIt’s been a thoughtsurmountable journey. ful, challenging but su experience no regrets So it’s a wonderful ex at all.” across fields some men Blazing the trail ac failed, upon returning have dared and faile decided to give back home she has decide to her foundation’s ffocus is hinged on assisting the less privileged in the capital development, area of human capi assisting the aged job creation and ass debilitating medical struggling with deb Shedding light on how conditions. Sheddin husband and children her rather quiet hu gubernatorial aspiration, reacted to her gub she said, “It took a while to tell him been thinking about about it as I’ve be that ambition for at least a year before the reality dawned on me. He understands me, having knows and unde been married for 34 years. He operate, and that I’m knows how I op determined, focused, and a giver, determ thinker. Once I made deep-seated th up my mind I brought it to him. and he knew he was We prayed an commit some money to going to comm he supported me. the project – h My children aare proud of me. and believe I can do They know an anything. My first child said he believes I can fly. They were not but surprised because too shocked b they saw the handwriting on the everything I’ve done. I wall of everyt them serve, volunteer, also made the give things for free so they are being me. used to me bei “After I lost aat the primary eldest son wrote me a election, my eld piece to me that I did the right thing.

Bible and told me He took me to the Bi he’s very proud of me and that I’ve done marvellously well and among doctors, I

am the greatest of them all –no anger, no animosity. He was more supportive. He became my preacher and when my soul thirsted and I read it, it made me feel better.”

For Dr Kolade, the gesture by her eldest son evokes happiness and the assurance that she’s raising a very good generation to follow her footstep of giving and service. Sharing her future plans, she noted: “Losing is not a suitable thing. It’s painful but it does not slow me down.

I’m gearing up to continue my charity work and business. I’ve spent quite a lot of money. I still see it that my essence is to support, to give and nd to carry on with what God has called me to do. In 40 years, I’ve never had a break ak doing charity, so no slowing down. That’s hat’s my life I’ve been involved in charity work since I was 16 years old. Even though gh I didn’t know what it was then, I started tarted very small sma m ll by going to psychiatric hospital visiting ng g the the sick and abandoned. As a grown woman, wom om man a , it became clear that’s what God wants me to do. I’m still looking oking for a bigger platform to do what I have to do. The governorship race may ay not have worked but I’ll continue my work.”

Using Irede Farms to Stem Tides of Agricultural Imports She is not averse to o risk. She can plough any industry, once she he believes in the dream. Impossibility doesn’t exist in her dictionary. Her drive,, verve, realism and optimism are apparent nt as she goes into farming –dealing in maize and cassava export. Her establishment, ment, Irede Farms also sell to many production oduction factories in Nigeria. Her goal now w is to see to the end of cassava (starch) importation mportation into Nigeria with her team gearing ng up to launch a new production factory that hat will produce garri (cassava flakes) and high pharmaceutical grade cassava starch (HGCS). Does she still believe in the dream eam of becoming Ekitii governor someday? “The dream is very much alive because I pray and hope it comes to reality. My goal is not to beco become ome a professional politician ian for life. My goal is to set a standard off how politics should be played and d how democracy should work,” she responded.

When Dr Kolade iss not working, she eases off stress by y dancing to quality and timeless Christian or secular music by the likes of King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer nezer Obey.

In the spirit of regaining ning sanity, she also loves going on vacation to the Cayman Islands, ds, Hawaii, Antigua and Bahamas. as. And when n she has the opportunity, nity, she swims. For her husband, and, their love is like a sweet vintage red wine, sweet as taste of grape.

The incredible smell of love still intoxicates her. Her heart beats harder, her er mind sings love song g and she walks in love. e.

She speaks glowingly y of him at the slightest st opportunity.

“It (our marriage) has been beautiful and nd d wonderful: we’ve been en blessed with children n and wealth. We havee had challenges too. It’s not ot been a bed of roses and I have learnt earnt with patience, prayers and d perseverr ance all things will work out.

Thirty-four years going ng strong, we love what God has as done and we are still looking ing for 50 more years. Love is patient and it encompasses all that marriage stands for. Having God as the focal point nt is key.

I wouldn’t be who I am a if not for God’s Grace,” she related. lated.

Speaking about herr she juggles her many roles, she stated: d: “As a young physician, I always hired professional help and I have been n blessed having a mother who came to look after the kids

for me. I hire people to assist me. I, however, believe in spending quality time with the children. People believe in the length of time; I believe in the quality. I put my children above all in everything.

When I was choosing my speciality in family medicine, I did same based on the need for children. As a woman, my family comes first. When we were newly married, my husband was going on with his professional thing. I always said my family would be at the centre and all other things with would follow. I’ve worked as a physician, pharmacist and I went to school. But I’ve always been around my children and I’ve been blessed and successful. I have the best husband in the whole world. He would shop and even cook when I couldn’t cook despite the fact that we have house-help.

He would support me in every way.”

A Life Hinged on Grace If she were to write the story of her life, it would be themed, “The Grace”.

At 57, she is confident in her skin. For her, it’s the beginning of great good d aand nd gre nd g rea re att things to come. She Nigeria wants Nige eri r a to watch out for her as she is about to start steering things up in country the co oun u try as she did in the US.

Nigeria is ours and we must give it everything we have. I believe I’ve made some impact in Ekiti politics. People have seen a woman can actually vie for governorship. I’m, however, supporting the governorship candidate who has set up an advisory council and he asked me to be one of them. We’ll give him the best advice and support him so we can have the best administration in Ekiti

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Idris

OPEN LETTER TO IGP IDRIS I was very reluctant to write you this morning. You see, when things get like this, the elders must rise up and speak and as the Duke of Shomolu, I believe I have paid enough dues in this country to speak.

My Lord, I have watched you from a distance and have been following your actions since you emerged as the undisputed Inspector General of our Police with calm equanimity. My brother, it cannot be easy. I really pity you and I hope you are checking your BP daily. These Nigerian problems can shake the strongest of men. My lord, kindly listen to me very carefully. You need to be calm. I know the pressure is massive especially with these unruly politicians who think they are larger than life. You see, we have to remain very strategic with one eye on our legacy; what would be said and written about our tenure when we leave. I respect you o, do not let anybody deceive you. You can ask my best friend Baba Segun who recently retired from the force and who is constantly knocking my head in his own way of having fun.

Says that was what they taught him at the police college. Let us move slowly, engage constructively, respect due process and the rule of law. You have been quite charismatic and effective. I like your outlook and your views, especially as it relates to civil-police matters and I think you have been perfectly positioned to be a great IGP. I offer my services to you as a shadow adviser, you can lean on me at these times so that we can work together in brining sanity back to this country. It’s crazy all over the place, but no better IGP than you at this time. All we need is a little bit of calmness, more consultations across all spectres, a bridge-building attitude with less confrontational pose and much more important, consensus building. It will be for the good of all of us. Meanwhile, before you sleep every night, please drink cold glass of milk, to calm your nerves, get a massage and sing the national anthem.

Before you leave for work do the same thing; smile a little bit more often and it will be well. Pele, egbon, it will be well. If you need some afang soup let me know, I will send some to you. God bless you always. Remember, let the constitution and the statutes that govern our daily lives both official and otherwise always be your guiding partner. I am praying for you. Don’t worry, you have my support. Pele. Kai. Meanwhile, I have 2 VIP tickets to watch Isale Eko for you. Let me know how I can get them to you. Please, only two o. I no fit afford to give more than that. No vex.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY – ABEG, CALM DOWN. You people like to do gra gra too much.

Small thing, you will jump up and in terrible English, be shouting and threatening the whole place and when the fight come now, you will be jumping out of bus’ windows. You better calm down, life is not like that. You cannot be fighting someone who has a monopoly of legitimate violence with long grammar. I have just heard that you are secretly collecting signatures, I really hope that it is not true. Much as I am on your side on this matter, you will agree with me that una sef no try. You have a very bad image, truth must be said. Your members are going around with different corruption cases hanging on their necks,

Dogara

Adenuga

So Saraki is a Robber?

Hmmmm, so Saraki is a robber?

I am just looking o. He has been everything since he emerged the Senate President. I just pity the man.

Everything has been thrown at him from drug dealer to money launderer and now an Offa robbery kingpin.

You know at times like these you can only laugh helplessly. I have met the man only once in his office and he didn’t look like a robbery kingpin to me. In fact, his skin was so smooth that I was almost tempted to ask the Baba what cream he uses. You see, the issue here is not only these Boy Scout games going on leading towards 2019. The government had better come to a quick realisation that things are no longer at ease and the centre can no longer hold. As my late daddy Chinua Achebe once said, ‘Mere anarchy is being loosed upon the land.’ I think the Federal Government should wake up from its deep slumber and begin to engage the opposition constructively issue by issue and no longer allow its people to continue to push it into these kinds of entrapments; otherwise,

tales of bribery and corruption against your members everywhere, budget padding and all sorts. So you cannot come to a fight like this without clean hands.

Let’s stop doing the childish gra gra and begin to be strategic in our ways. Honest to God you guys are behaving like unruly schoolchildren and heating up the polity.

Your President is a great man and he will always have my backing but he himself must be able to lead a much more constructive assembly not this one that, people are wearing ill-fitted Gucci Suits around and not making any common sense. You guys are really embarrassing me. Please immediately call another joint session between the 15th and 19th of August, I would have been released from the other room for me to come and address you all on the need

some of us will begin to sense a white horse at play. The issue here is respect to the constitution, due process and the institutions that have been put to safeguard our democracy.

If we continue to bastardise them on the altar of impunity against the persons who hold these positions, then we are beginning to stare at a failed state. Me, I cannot live in a failed state and there is nothing the Canadians will do to stop me, I will migrate there and become the Duke of Toronto. Dealing with Saraki as it is beginning to look will not augur well for us as a nation except we deal with him according to the laid down principles as enshrined in our constitution. Labelling him a bank robber or a drug lord from Colombia will only serve to push people like me who believe in due process towards his camp. My lord – whichever of my lords whether it is the IGP or the President, no be like this them dey do am. Let’s be more strategic.

Meanwhile Oloye, when is the next operation, do you need a get-away driver? Laugh wan kill me.

Oyedeji

to sponsor have run away. As we were talking, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. I did not want to pick the call. I was sure it was that MUDI who has been disturbing me for complimentary tickets.

The Urhobo man, gave me N40,000 sponsorship and has collected over N200,000 worth of complimentary tickets. So I refused to pick this call. But kept ringing so to mute him, I took and whispered that I was in a meeting. But the voice calmly said, I am Mike Adenuga. I started shaking. My knees started knocking at each other and sweat became my companion. I greeted the oga in a trembling voice. Did not know whether I should speak English, Yoruba or Ibibio. He said he loved me and would like to support me and that I should send my account number. Kai, baba mi. at this point, I decided to punish Diamond Bank. Me, I will not give the BULL Diamond Bank account number for I know that this expected ‘’attack’’ will catapult them into the elusive top five of banking. If you see the way that girl embarrassed me when I went to beg for sponsorship. Na only N200,000 I go beg for o. Well, na my biography I go better explain. I just send my FCMB. That Diran guy na wonderful being. As I just press the button, my daughter Zara knocked my head and I woke up. Kai, it was a dream, no Bull o. No Glo money. No Adenuga.

Just me and my empty big head. Well, no problem as mummy once said, there is god o. We will do the show. My readers please come and see the play at Agip Recital Hall Muson Centre, June 12, 15 and 16. Give me a call, you just might get a complimentary ticket.

to be constructive and strategic as we head up towards 2019. We cannot afford a constitutional crisis or the bastardisation of our democratic institutions on the altar of greed and personal avarice. This is a tepid warning from the Duke of Shomolu, the next one will not be this mild. GET YOUR ACTS TOGETHER. Thank you.

CARROT – ESTATE PLANNING WITH TECHNOLOGY One of my mentors who is press shy – If I mention his name here peren, he will castrate me o – called and asked that I send my email address so he could send me something. I quickly sent my account number. The guy laughed and said, Edgar stop being funny and send your email address. I sent and he sent me a message.

What he sent captured my imagination: Estate planning through the use of technology. Kai, this immediately resolved all the wahala that comes with wills, probate and in bequeathing in the event of passing on.

So through the online platform, one can write his will update and keep. What that means is that it will most likely reduce all the wahala that usually comes with this kain thing. I have wanted to write my will but have been lazy about it; maybe because the only thing I have to bequeath to my long-suffering first son are my office shirts and debt to GTB. But with this technology, I will look into it again. The thing is making sense. I only pray that my madam will not go and bust the password and change everything o. Well done sir, let’s keep talking.

MIKE ADENUGA STORMS ISALE EKO So our stage play is coming up this Tuesday, June 12, and will run until the 16th, 2018 at the prestigious Muson Centre with me the enigmatic and only true friend of the IGP Executive Producing. Recently, my director, the highly talented William Benson, complained to me about his inability to procure some props. Kai, I looked at my budget and all the people that promised

WALE OYEDEJI – A GOOD MAN Very few people are built like these days.

A great and principled man, laced with uncommon intelligence. I have just heard that Wale has exited GTB. I haven’t confirmed this news from the man himself. But if this is true, then it is a great loss to GTB but a massive gain to mankind because now he will have more time to positively affect us.

Well done, bruh, and where is the party?

21

JUNE 9, 2018 Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

SPY GLASS BISHOP CHRIS KWAKOPVWE

BISHOP CHRIS KWAKOPVWE REMAINS UNRUFFLED

Though a couple of impetuous stories have stabbed the personality of the publisher and author of the popular devotional, Our Daily Manna, Bishop Chris Kwakopvwe - including frivolous allegations of sexual misconduct—which have not been proven and vehemently denied by the man of God who stuck to his guns, insisting that his hands are clean, the recent pronouncement of a Lagos High Court granting the prayers of Miss Tamara Egbedi for special and general damages has caused him more trauma.

However, the gregarious bishop remains unbowed, and that he has accepted the challenge of the declaration from the temple of justice as a personal task which he must prosecute to a logical end on behalf of the worldwide community of Christians.

As gathered, the man views this case as a persecution of the body of Christ. “It is spiritual warfare. If not checked, it could happen to any other ministry. There has never been a case like this in Nigeria. The novelty of the matter compels us to take every necessary step possible. We are concerned that people may start coming to church to fake an injury or loss of personal belongings for which they will go to court and get a judgment against the church. That is the reality that is staring us in the face. It is a satanic agenda.�

The ministry further warned pastors, churches or ministries to be wary of possible syndicates that may be using people or purported attendees to claim injuries at their well-organised proggrammes. “Their aim is cash. Please, never pay anybody except as an act of benevolence. Once you pay, they will continue to claim injury every time you have a programme.�

Justice SBA Candido-Johnson of the Lagos High Court had awarded N9,454,000 to Miss Tamara Egbedi for special and general damages against the registered trustees of Chapel of Liberty and Rev. (now Bishop) Dr. Chris Kwakpovwe.

Egbedi who is a lawyer approached the court with a claim that she fell into an uncovered gutter and broke her teeth when she attended the end of fast World Anointing Service organised by the ministry on January 22, 2010 at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The sprawling and fascinating history of the case placed before the court by the ministry did not appear to be convincing in many instances. The uncannily prescient Kwakpovwe argued among other points that his ministry had never recorded an ugly incident at similar programmes which attract a huge crowd of attendees in over 52 countries. The sitting area used by the ministry for the 2010 programme at the stadium was floodlit and there were over 300 ushers to ensure worshippers’ comfort and safety.

On the morning of January 23, 2010 Egbedi emerged with the claim that she fell into a gutter within the premises of the stadium when she came for the programme. None of the ushers or medical personnel on duty saw her with the alleged injuries on the night of the programme. There were ambulances from Lagos State government with medical doctors and nurses on duty to attend to emergencies but none of them saw her.

She claimed that she fell into the gutter at

UMAR NASKO

with BAYO ADEOYE .... 08054680651 email: bayoolunla@gmail.com about 9p.m. At about 5a.m when the programme had ended and worshippers were on their way home, she demanded to speak to the bishop who was at that time ministering to some people with special cases on the altar. According to the church, as the ushers were trying to ascertain her reason to see the bishop, she started shouting at the top of her voice. This caught the attention of the bishop who immediately granted her audience but her first utterance was a rude shock.

She was quoted as saying, “See my mouth‌. I will sue you for this injury. My lawyers are outside.â€?

The bishop, in an attempt to understand what was happening, wanted to calm her down so that she could narrate what had happened to her, but she then screamed, “Don’t touch me!�

One of the female pastors present was said to have been instructed to attend to her and get the full details of her complaint and to offer her N100,000 for treatment. The church noted that as the pastor approached her for her story, she said she wanted N2.5 million as compensation for the injury.

UMAR NASKO CHICKENED OUT?

Since his emergence in the administration of the former Niger State Governor, Aliyu Babangida, where he held sway as a Chief of Staff among other positions, Umar Mohammed Nasko, has been familiar with a lot of people in the state while many youths see him as a role model.

So in 2015 when he contested as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, many thought he would coast home to victory given his closeness to Babangida, but he lost the election.

Since then, he has reportedly lost his political relevance, while his political structure has almost totally crumbled before his very eyes .

If this was surprising for many of his fans, they are totally disappointed over his present decision. Many of his supporters were confident that the young politician will bounce back for the 2019 governorship election but this is not to be as he has recently chickened out from the race; a source said that he had recently confirmed that he was no longer interested in the number one job of the state. This has further given credence to his critics that he has all along been riding on the crest of the popularity of his former boss, Babangida.

Nasko, who was Managing Partner at New Africa Investment Limited between 2001 and 2007, had served on various boards and committees in the state. He was a member of the Transition Committee in Niger State; member, Niger State Government Committee on Public Private Partnership 2007; chairman, Vehicle Verification Committee in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Niger State; member, Technical Committee on Harmonisation of Niger State Action Plan in the State Government and chairman, Local Organising Committee for the 2009 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST).

He was also a member of the Niger State Executive Council in his official capacity as the Commissioner of Tourism and Culture, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Ministry of Youth Development, Special Adviser on Tourism Matters and Ministry of Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources.

BOLANLE AMBODE’S HEART OF GOLD

Since she became the Lagos State First Lady, Bolanle Ambode, wife of the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has left no one in doubt about her vision and readiness to complement her husband’s efforts to further change the face of Lagos, while also bettering the lives of the indigenes.

The elegant woman, who is known for her simplicity and admirable lifestyle, is

BOLANLE AMBODE

endowed with the heart of gold. She is no stranger to charity. Contrary to the thinking in some quarters, she has been making worthy donations to motherless babies homes in and around the Lagos metropolis, even before her current status. As part of her humanitarian services, she established the Alfred Debbie Opal Foundation (ADOF) long before her husband contested the number one job in the state.

Spyglass gathered that the beautiful woman’s foundation, Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative, (HOFOWEM), last Tuesday inaugurated the distribution of 50,000 shoes and branded socks to primary one pupils of public schools across the State.

Mrs. Ambode commenced the distribution at the Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School, Lagos Road, Majidun in Ikorodu.

The distribution is the 2018 edition of the “Project Bright Steps,� a pet project of HOFOWEM, to boost the morale of the children and sensitise the society that the welfare of pupils is important, in getting the best of them in their academic pursuits.

In the first edition in February last year, 175,000 shoes and HOFOWEM-branded socks, were distributed to all Primary 1-3 pupils of public primary schools across Lagos State.

Mrs. Ambode said getting the best from education began with proper dressing to school, adding that the foundation had observed with some pain, that many pupils were less than properly dressed to school, as some turned up in bathroom slippers while many others went barefooted The foundation, it was gathered, was established to cater for the needs of exceptionally brilliant and promising students in Nigeria, faced with an uncertain and bleak future owing to their inability to adequately fund their education.

She obtained her bachelor’s and masters’ degrees from the Lagos State University in 1989 and 1994 , majoring in Physics/ Mathematics and Public Administration.

Very cosmopolitan, Mrs. Ambode, who has attended several courses in reputable institutions abroad, had worked with the defunct People’s Bank of Nigeria, Instant Finance Nigeria Limited and Aquagem Consulting Limited before establishing her own business, Rehoboth Chops and Confectioneries

LATE AKUNYILI’S DAUGHTER, CHIDIOGO’S MOMENT OF JOY

Last weekend, the social blogospheres were set trending with radiating love storytelling and stunning photographs of Chidiogo, the fourth daughter of the former Director General of NAFDAC and former Information and Communication Minister, the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, who hooked to Canadian beau, Andrew Parr.

Chidiogo, a multilinguist, an author, speaker, and founder of She ROARs Africa, walked down the aisle with a stunning look in a custom wedding dress coupled with a Melanin headgear.

While Andrew, a performance coach for elite athletes, a professional golf player and an entrepreneur, looked dapper in white and well-tailored native attire.

The elated couple were solemnised at the Madonna Catholic Church, Agulu, Anambra State in the presence of the bride’s father, Sir Chike Akunyili; groom’s parents, the Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Willie Obiano, Igwe of Agulu and Olowu of Adazi, among friends and well-wishers.

Thereafter, the marriage traditional rites “Igba Nkwu� took turn in the palatial Agulu country home of the bride’s parent.

Yes, if readers would take anything as a resemblance of the late mother in the bride, that would not be farfetched one to trace as her brilliance and uniqueness in

CHIDIOGO

achieving excellent results at the end of the tunnel speaks into the ceremony in appreciative colours. The white Andrew and black Chidiogo in a choreographed dance steps left every guest present wowed until they bade the event goodbye.

Other dignitaries present were former governor Peter Obi, Senator Victor Umeh, Bianca Ojukwu, Sally Mbanefo, state Assembly members, local government chairmen, commissioners, academia, as well as top South-eastern politicians and business moguls.

Meanwhile, the Akunyilis had hosted them to a dinner on Thursday, while on Friday, the Canadian family alongside the Akunyilis paid a courtesy call on Governor Obiano at the State lounge and they were hosted to a welcome dinner that left the groom talking of relocating to Nigeria after they must have had another planned wedding reception Canada sometime in October.

ITF, NBC SHEATHE SWORDS

Industrial Training Fund, ITF and Nigeria Bottling Company Limited have finally reached an amicable settlement in respect of the N189,940,751.21arrears of contribution owed by the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited. By writ of summons and statement of claim dated 24th August, 2017.the ITF claim against NBC was as follows : r 5IF TVN PG / CFJOH UIF PVUTUBOEJOH WFSJà FE MJBCJMJUZ JO respect of the statutory training contribution in accordance with the Industrial Training Fund Act, 2011(as amended). r NPOUIMZ QFOBMUZ GPS OPO QBZNFOU on every month the aforementioned sum ought to have been paid from 1st day of April 2011 until the liquidation of the outstanding sum in accordance with the Industrial Training Fund Act. r $PTU PG UIJT MFHBM BDUJPO –The parties and their respective legal representatives, having taken a comprehensive review of this case and having regard to the need to avoid protracted litigation and the attendant consequences, have decided to amicably settle this case without apportioning or admitting liabilities. These terms of settlement are agreed to without any admission of liability on the part of the defendant. r5IF QBSUJFT IFSFJO CBTFE PO UIF verification and reconciliation exercise mutually conducted, arrived at the sum of N104,290,434.05 as being the outstanding verified liability of the NBC to the ITF for à OBODJBM ZFBST BGPSFNFOUJPOFE r 5IF EFGFOEBOU NBEF WPMVOUBSZ EFDMBSBUJPO PG UIF TVN PG / UIJT voluntary declaration being in relation to the Industrial Training Fund levy on the payroll cost of international assignees that worked for the defendant during the financial years aforementioned r*U JT VOEFSTUPPE UIBU UIF BGPSFNFOUJPOFE verified outstanding indebtedness of the defendant and the defendant’s voluntary declaration, as captured in paragraphs 3and4 above, both of which sums cumulatively amounts to the sum of N189,940,751.21 represents the total indebtedness of the defendant to the plaintiff for the financial ZFBST QVSTVBOU UP UIF QSPWJTJPO PG the Industrial Training funds Act, 2011.

Pursuant to the foregoing, it is hereby agreed by all parties hereto as follows: r XJUIJO TFWFO XPSLJOH EBZT GSPN UIF date these terms are executed by both parties herein, the defendant NBC shall pay to the plaintiffs ITF the sum of N189,940,751.21 in full and final settlement of the ITF claims in this suit and/or pertaining to, connected with and relating to the defendant’s 2011 PVUTUBOEJOH USBJOJOH DPOUSJCVUJPO r5IF EFGFOEBOU TIBMM XJUIJO UIF BGPSFmentioned number of working days, pay UIF TVN PG / EJSFDUMZ UP UIF firm of Messers Frank Eke &co as legal costs and incidental expenses arising from and in respect of this suit.

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T HISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

Buruji Kashamu

I’m Innocent But the AGF Is Working with Americans to Extradite Me to the US Buruji Kashamu, the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district in Ogun State, has not stopped to be in the news as his legal tussles with the OďŹƒce of the Attorney General of the Federation and the United States’ authorities continue. Following the recent Court of Appeal’s ruling against him, Kashamu speaks with THISDAY about justice and respect for the rule of law as he ďŹ ghts to clear his name in the face of the federal government’s plan to extradite him to the US

H

aving lost your lawsuit on appeal, it will appear that the latest court ruling has cleared the way for the authorities to start again the process of your extradition.

Apparently, this would be considered a setback. What does this mean for you?

If you could ask me this question it is an indication that you asked the question based on what you have been reading in the newspapers as written by other journalists like you. But what a lot of people do not know is that they did not take their time to read and carefully follow what has been going on since this case began. The case in question that they are talking about which has now been set aside by the Court of Appeal does not have anything to do with the extradition in question. If you could remember, the real extradition –the purported extradition case – was brought up on May 28, 2015 –a day before the previous administration (of President Goodluck Jonathan) left office. And, that purported extradition case was dismissed on July 1, 2015 by Justice Kolawole in Abuja.

That judgment is still subsisting –there has not been any appeal against it. Similarly, that judgment has not been set aside. Also, the fact that the purported extradition has been dismissed –you know that if a case has been dismissed –there is not any case of extradition again that can be brought against that dismissal.

This is the judgment (shows copies of court papers containing the court’s judgment) in case you want to quote from it. That is just a part of the big picture. Actually, the case that was allowed by the Court of Appeal was a judgment of a case of fundamental human rights in which an earlier judgment was obtained by me through the Federal High Court –and, that lawsuit involved the Attorney General of the Federation (Abubakar Malami), the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency), the Nigeria Immigration Service and other related agencies. The reason for that case was that I was involved through information that certain people were to abduct me and thereafter ship me out of Nigeria. It was for that reason that I went to court to exercise my fundamental human right. The reason why they allowed the appeal, according to those honourable justices of the Court of Appeal, it was that they turned it into speculation instead of which, of course, in the exercise of one’s fundamental human rights, one has the freedom to go to court. Therefore, the issue of whether the planned abduction was a speculation or was not a speculation does not arise on any fundamental human rights because the constitution allows that. I do not see any reasons for them (the Court of Appeal) to have set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court. That judgment is binding on the Attorney General of the Federation, NDLEA, and the other law enforcement agencies –that they cannot take certain steps against my person. But that does not mean that with that

Kashamu

they have a right to do so because as I speak with you, I still have two judgments obtained from courts (which are in my favour) which are even much stronger than the other judgments. The Interpol was involved in all this and a letter was issued –they did a lot of investigations and in all this I was cleared and the judgment was delivered based on that –that cannot be speculation. The same judgment is tying the hands of the Attorney General, NDLEA and other security agencies. We still have those judgments; they have not been appealed since almost five years ago. Add to that, we are still having the Justice Kolawole judgment that dismissed the first extradition case brought before the court. My brother, that is the truth of the matter; apart from that, there was no time I was summoned by any court of law that I had to answer to an extradition case based on the two judgments in London, the United Kingdom, which exonerated me –that was in 2010. It will interest you to know that in one of the judgments of the Magistrate’s court, some agents of the NDLEA were present at the British court to give evidence. And, I do believe that there is no way those officers could go to London after the Magistrate’s court issued a subpoena against them without (such subpoena) passing through the Attorney General of the Federation to obtain a fiat. So, if they (the NDLEA officers) were in London giving evidence, confirming that I knew nothing about the allegations made against me, why are they still pursuing me? After the court had declared that I was not the person they were looking for and the case was dismissed –with no prima facie case was established against me –and that it was a case of mistaken identity -- that judgment is binding on American and Nigerian governments which the office of the Attorney General of the Federation does not have a legal backing to even obtain or receive or treat any extradition request from the United States without asking them (the US government) the full disclosure of that extradition case –and the full disclosure of what had transpired in Britain if there is any superior court order that has set aside those two judgments. If there is none, then that means that there is not any extradition case against me. Any attempt to do that is illegal –null and void and I believe it cannot stand any legal scrutiny in Nigeria.

What is the next step for you?

First of all, right from that day that the Court of Appeal dismissed the previous judgment, we had appealed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. That is number one.

Number two: I have just replied to you that with the judgment of the UK court and the judgment of Justice Kolawole that dismissed the purported first extradition case and the judgment –Judgment 49 –that we have in our hands at the moment, any attempt (by the government to get me extradited) is illegal.

The whole Nigeria should know that.

So, why does this case keep coming up

every now and then despite the favourable court judgments you just mentioned?

It is political. The reason is political. You can see by the letter of the British Embassy (in Nigeria) which was addressed to the former Nigerian Inspector General of Police (Solomon Arase), it was made clear that I won the case in London while the judge in London declared that I was not the one the American authorities were looking for. Here are copies of the cases –of the two judgments in London (hands copies of the lawsuit documents to THISDAY). You can also have the copy of the Federal High Court, Lagos. You can also have the copy Justice Kolawole’s ruling when I was trying to register the judgment that even confirmed that there is no way they can bring an extradition lawsuit against me based on the ruling from Britain. You can also have the document of the court ruling that dismissed the purported initial extradition case.

I quote what the British High Commission in Nigeria wrote in its letter to the Nigeria Police: ‘I have examined the documentation supplied in respect of Buruji Kashamu. The copies are authentic and I can confirm that the Mr Kashamu was arrested upon entry into the United Kingdom and remanded in custody. He was subject to an extradition hearing at Bow Street Magistrates and represented by Keir Starmer QC who later became Director of Public Prosecutions. The Magistrate was not (notice that the ‘not’ was clearly underlined) satisfied that there was a case to answer and the extradition request was rejected. I understand that the US authorities are seeking his extradition but can confirm that we have no current interest in this matter and he is not wanted in connection with any other offences within our jurisdiction.’ Plain and simple.

There is a letter being circulated that appears to be written through the OfďŹ ce of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, telling the US government how to go about expediting action as regards your extradition. What do you have to say about that?

I was surprised when my attention was drawn to that letter on the Internet which is now being circulated freely –trending online. The letter was dated July 14, 2016 with reference number CAU/EXT/080/15 which has gone viral on the social media and has, therefore, become a public document.

In that letter, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation wrote to the US Ambassador –the head of the American Mission in Nigeria –talking about the need to process and to re-submit a fresh extradition request package. And, that letter was attached to a memo dated June 9, 2016 in which the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, DPPF, directed the Central Authority, CAU, to write to the US Embassy (in Nigeria). I cannot imagine or believe that any reasonable person could write another country to come and extradite his fellow citizen who is innocent. To this moment, it is hard to imagine or believe that such a letter

was actually written. We all know and I am drawing the attention of all Nigerians to the fact that the letter is an abuse of office and it is illegal. Nonetheless, I make bold to say that with that letter on its own, no extradition lawsuit can even be brought against me in Nigeria –because it will be brought in bad faith. Can any attorney general embark upon an extradition case without a letter to appear before any court in Nigeria? It is going to be a show of shame.

Have you reached out to the OfďŹ ce of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to avail him of all the judgments in your favour?

He (Malami) knows; he is aware of those judgments. However, I am preparing another letter to send to him now – which I am going to send to him to remind him that all powers belong to the Almighty Allah. He should use his good office to do justice. Between now (Thursday) and Monday the letter will surely be in his office; and some other letters (and documents) will be sent to him by my lawyers.

How have these legal tussles as well as the NDLEA’s invasion of your home affected you and your ability to adequately represent your constituency?

These court cases have affected me and my family a lot. It is not easy – any time I remember –what I had to go through when the NDLEA and other security agents unlawfully invaded my home and subjected me and my family to both mental and physical trauma. Whether I am sitting alone, I am with my family, walking, or I am in my car or in the (legislative) chamber it strikes my heart and paralyses all my body (parts).

Sometimes, my blood pressure rises up to 240/120. I always move around with medications to suppress the pressure. I have never experienced this kind of situation in my life before. My family and I are being subjected to image battering, unwarranted apprehension and perpetual fear over an allegation that I have been exonerated of after being detained for four years (in the UK) and subjected to all manner of inhuman conditions. The first time I won the London case, I was released and I was re-arrested. The same day they took me to the Magistrate’s court and it took me another two years and I won the second case.

For somebody to tell me now that I should go and face (a possible jail term) in America I find it rather absurd –that is what (150 years jail term) they (the US authorities) filed in London. I have never in my life set my foot in America –I have never been to America in my life. I have never asked for American visa in my life. Let the American authorities come out and say that they have seen me in their country before. I repeat: I have never been there before. They have seen somebody from Ogun State who does not know his right from his left who will go and serve a 150-year jail term in the US. I really do not get this at all.

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JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERVIEW Fouad Oki

Why We Held Parallel APC Congress in Lagos Mr. Fouad Oki, a former Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Lagos Chapter, was recently elected as the new chairman of the party in a parallel congress by a faction of the party. In this interview with Bayo Akinloye, Oki explains why his supporters organised a parallel congress and their search for sanity in the ruling party

A

t the Airport Hotel, your faction of the All Progressives Congress organised a congress that resulted in your emergence as the party’s Lagos State chairman while another congress recognised by the APC national secretariat held at the Lagos’ secretariat of the party. Why did you and other members of the APC hold a parallel congress?

My answer will be basically in drawing analogies to a scenario and I will leave you to draw a conclusion from it because you must first understand the basics. There must be a ground norm in whatever we do, especially in any association –political associations.

And what is the ground norm? The ground norm is the constitution of Nigeria as altered 1999, the Electoral Act 2010 as amended and the constitution of our party, 2013 which is yet to be amended as well as the guidelines for the conduct of congresses, 2018. You now need to interrogate these; what are they talking about as they affect Lagos State which is sub-national –a federating unit of the national body? You must understand that before anything else. It is talking about the constitutionality of a process; about the procedure of a process. The process is: hold congresses in Lagos and other states of the federation. To hold congresses, what are the ingredients for holding a congress?

The ingredients are: One, inclusion of all registered members of the party. That is, for you to participate in the first instance, your name as a delegate to the congress must be in the party’s membership register.

Two, that you must indicate interest by obtaining a form and fill it in order to stand for an election. Three, the jurisdiction where an election or congress must hold –that is, you must apply to stand for election at a jurisdiction –jurisdiction in this case is the ward; you must have a political ward that you’re either voting or seeking to be voted for. You now look at what constitutes all of these things. The first one is that the Nigerian constitution has identified and appropriately created political wards throughout the country. These political wards are created again from a larger constituency which is called the local government. Now, the local government areas are listed in the Nigerian constitution. These local governments were equally identified and recognised by the Electoral Act 2010. Therefore, any political activism must as a matter of rights generate its power and sources of legitimacy from this ground norm. That is, you must look at the constitution. You must comply with its provisions. Therefore, by implication and extension, the constitution of our party –the All Progressives Congress –derives its powers from these two laws: the constitution and the Electoral Act. It is on the basis of that the guidelines for the conduct of congresses were drawn. It goes to say that in Lagos, you can only hold any political contests within the ambit and purview of these extant regulations –that is, those wards where you intend to hold congresses must be wards that are recognised by INEC because INEC has its catechism –the Electoral Act –which was drawn out of the Nigerian constitution. In Lagos State, therefore, the intendment of our party is for congresses to hold in INEC-recognised wards in Lagos State –245 wards and 20 local government areas. Anything outside of that becomes an exercise in nullity. It is void and ultra vires in the eye of the law. The question here is: where did their so-called congresses hold? How did the voting in that congresses hold? This must be understood before anything. That is the foundation.

There are several issues tied around that such as when notices for congresses were issued; all contestants were expected to pay –in order to get their intention to contest forms –to the banks and then take the tellers to the party secretariat to obtain the forms which will be filed and returned not later than 12 hours before the congress. And we

–unfortunately –sometimes out of sheer sycophancy, other times out of ignorance would say things they don’t know or they assume. Maybe you also want to interrogate my political antecedents; maybe you want to know my pedigree before arriving at a conclusion about me. In 2009, I was suspended when we were in ACN for similar reasons. Was I also looking for (prominent) posts then? I am contented with all God has done for me.

Does it bother you that somebody like Bola Tinubu did endorse the outcome of the congresses that you considered to be illegal?

To every door, there are two sides –the inner and the outer. To every coin, there are two sides –the head and the tail. I will never join issue with anything or anyone who want to bring Asiwaju into it. Like we say on the street, our Asiwaju is my ‘G’. He’s my big brother and leader and it will be very unfair for me to be seated here and begin to discuss him.

When you said he was your ‘G’, did you mean godfather?

No. I said he is my ‘G’. In Lagos, we don’t have godfathers. I am from Lagos; I am an aborigine. I come from Isale Eko. When I said he’s my ‘G’, I was saying he’s my guy –that’s ‘G’. He’s my ‘personal person’; he’s my big brother.

It is also said that you’re being backed by some individuals in Abuja. Can you please tell us who the big masquerader behind your faction is?

When you got here did you see any ‘Abuja’? Is this Abuja? There are some issues you don’t go into. You know why? Because those are issues that little minds discuss.

Oki

demanded: as late as Thursday –two days before the congress, May 3 –to know from the committee that was sent by the national secretariat to conduct congresses in Lagos that we wanted to see the list of delegates in this case the membership register. We were told that none was provided by the national secretariat for the congress that the register would be provided by the secretariat in Lagos. We said that was not correct. Two, so many of our members who kicked against the supposed information that congresses shall hold in 377 wards as opposed to 245 wards were clearly excluded by not being given forms when they went to the secretariat with their tellers which are indications and proofs that they had made payments into the party’s coffers.

Was the attention of the national secretariat drawn to that fact?

On Friday when I drew the attention of the chairman of the state congress’ committee, Chief Theo Okoh, who was sent from Abuja, looked into the complaint and then directed that everyone who had come with a teller should be given the forms. Chief Okoh demonstrated non-partisanship and objectivity in his assignment. We must give kudos to him and his committee members. I sent a note of observation to him, raising three issues: exclusion, which he also saw and appropriately made efforts to ensure that as much as possible many members were allowed to obtain the form but it was after so many people had been turned back from participating raising the issue of constitutionality of the various jurisdictions requesting him to give us the interpretation of the guidelines as to whether congresses would hold in 245 wards or 377 wards. And somebody from somewhere, I understood, later called him to say that in Lagos State, it is 377 wards because after the

creation of local council development areas, we took the federal government to court and we won the case. What manner of victory did we get? Because the Supreme Court ruling clearly stated that though the state has rights to create local governments, those local governments cannot be recognised until after they have been noted and appropriately listed in the constitution. Therefore, it says very clearly that the exercise was inchoate.

The question is this: how then do we want to entrench illegality for personal reasons?

Because somebody wants to rub his ego and therefore, there must be double standards and two sets of rules –one for other states and another one for Lagos. It’s not possible. This is the issue. So, I want you to deduce which of the congresses was illegal and which was not. Was it congresses held in 245 wards or congresses held in flagrant contravention of set rules?

Was it because your faction didn’t want to be part of the ‘illegality’ that you held another congress at the Airport Hotel?

Yes and more important, if you truly are a democrat, you must abhor violence. You can see what happened in the other so-called congresses –two lives were lost. Tell me, do these congresses worth the loss of one life?

What kind of democracy are we practising –encouraging violence?

Contrary to your view, some people have claimed that you are aggrieved because you were not given any prominent posts in this administration. Is that correct?

What prominent post? For the governor to vacate his seat and make me the governor?

Or, for the deputy governor to vacate her seat for me to replace her? You see, people

But is it true you have people backing your faction?

I have thousands of backers who are party members scattered all over Lagos State –in all the 245 wards I have got backers –young and old; experienced and upcoming politicians.

I am just an arrowhead of a struggle and the voiceless in my party are the backers.

Was there any representative from the national secretariat at your congress?

It is very clear that there was a contest that was bungled. There was supposed to be a contest which should have gone through a known channel which is the party’s secretariat in Lagos. Unfortunately, the majority of the members were excluded and when you go through the guidelines for the conduct of the congress, it states clearly issues regarding safety and security and where that cannot be guaranteed you can always move elsewhere –and that is what we took advantage of.

But who should decide such movement and what happens if the national secretariat did not recognise your faction, considering it as an exercise in futility?

It was supposed to be decided by the national secretariat and correspondence in that regard was sent to the national office. I won’t tell you on the pages of the newspaper what was done and wasn’t done. The party hierarchy has started to look into the issues.

Having been the director general of the campaign organisations of Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, your current stance against the APC may be seen as throwing a spanner in the works for Ambode’s second term bid. Is that the idea?

I always like to concentrate on the task at hand. Talking about Governor Ambode; he’s not my friend, he’s a brother. Whatever we have as brothers should not be for public consumption. You don’t demolish the house you built. He’s the governor of this state; he has my support and he’ll continue to have my support –not because he’s a governor but because he’s also a brother. We’re talking

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

Ejama-Ebubu Community

When Judiciary Snubbed ‘Goliath’ First Bank Midweek, Justice Ibrahim Buba of Federal High Court, Lagos, convicted Ms. Ibukun Awosika, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, the chairman and Managing director of corporate Goliath First Bank Plc., respectively, as well as the bank for defying debt payment of N122 billion bond it guaranteed to oil spill-ravaged Ejama-Ebubu Community in Ogoni land, Rivers State, on behalf of kindred Goliath Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited. Louis Achi reports

s in historical lore, the fight between the giant Philistine warrior Goliath and young callow David was clearly a mismatch. But a third immutable force decided the outcome.

David won. Today, while the character cast of that significant bygone narrative may appear different, the central principle remains unchanging - that justice will always trump Philistinian designs.

As it were, in the long drawn face-off between the oil-spill ravaged Ejama-Ebubu Community in Ogoni land, Rivers State and two corporate Goliaths - Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and First Bank Plc who favoured a dodgy legal game, a third force, midweek decided the outcome of the mismatched fight. That force was justice, represented by the judiciary. A much often unfairly pilloried institution, the judiciary has, despite the challenges, often demonstrated its capacity to rein in impunity from the powerful against the weak.

The Court Ruling‌ After some long-running, enervating legal gymnastics and theatrics, a Federal High Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, convicted Ms. Ibukun Awosika, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, the chairman and Managing director of First bank Plc, respectively, as well as the bank for their refusal to honour the payment of N122 billion (initially N17 billion) bond guaranteed by the bank. The N122 billion bond is in respect of the judgment debt against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), in an oil spill suit instituted by Ejama community in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

The court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, however suspended the serving of their conviction, for three months, to enable them purge themselves of the contempt. The judge however stated that if by September 6, 2018, the convicts fail to purge themselves of the contempt proceedings, they shall immediately be sent to prison.

From a Certified True Copy of the June 6, 2018 ruling obtained by THISDAY, signed by the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Buba, and Registrar Alkesi C.N. and stamped by Mrs. O.Y. Thomas, a Principal Executive Officer, Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, the court ordered as follows: “1) Accordingly and without any formality an order is hereby made for the Respondents to be committed to prison for 3 months until they purge themselves of the contempt. “2) The court in exercise of its direction by dint of Order 35, Rule 6 (1) also suspends the execution of the order of committal for a period of 3 months on the condition that the Respondents purge themselves of the contempt and make good their undertaking to this court failing which they shall be committed to prison with effect from 6/9/2018.�

In convicting First Bank, its chairman, and managing director, Justice Buba had dismissed all the applications filed by their Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), describing contempt proceedings as abuse of court process and been statue bar.

It would be recalled that 10 indigenes of Ejama community in the substantive suit had sued Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, United Kingdom, and SPDC, over alleged oil spills that occurred when Shell operated in the community, at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

Justice Buba had in his judgment in 2010, awarded N17 billion to the representatives of the Ogoni people and equally granted the Ejama chiefs 25 per cent interest charge on the principal sum of about N17 billion. SPDC had then appealed against the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the appeal.

As a condition for granting the stay of execution, the court required Shell’s bankers, First Bank Plc, to provide a guarantee of the judgment sum. This condition was complied with. But Shell’s appeal failed at the Court of Appeal on technical grounds, ostensibly because it filed its processes out of time and without regularising them.

Consequent upon the failure of the appeal

Ogosu

-Awosika

Adeduntan

of SPDC at Appeal Court, and the refusal of First Bank Plc, to honour the payment of judgment debt which the bank had early guaranteed through a bond, the applicants, through their lawyers, Chief Lucius Nwosu (SAN), Lawal Rabana (SAN) and Ken C. Njemanze (SAN) filed Form 48 and Form 49 (committal to prison) against the bank, its chairman and managing director.

However, ruling could not be delivered in the contempt proceedings until Wednesday, due to several applications that were filed by the contemnors, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and SPDC which sought to be joined as party in the suit. Meanwhile, Justice Buba, has adjourned ruling on the garnishee proceeding against First Bank till June 19.

It also worth recalling that in November 2016, for failing to adopt measures to safeguard the ecosystem, a Federal High Court, Lagos presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba awarded N10 billion against Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited in a case that lasted 14 years. In the 1998 oil spillage case, the sum was in favour of the fishing communities and cooperatives of Lagos. Chief M. A. Ajanaku and others filed the suit on their behalf.

They had sought a declaration that the defendant’s continuing failure, neglect and refusal to undertake post impact remediation measures to restore the ecosystem of the lands and waters of life inhabited by the plaintiffs and where they carry on their occupation of fishing and fish farming, is unlawful, unconstitutional and a violation of the Plaintiffs’ right to life, and right to live in an environment favourable to their socioeconomic development as guaranteed under Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, Articles 22 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

The plaintiffs’ had also prayed the court to hold that the document purporting to release the Defendant from paying due compensation to the Plaintiffs who signed the documents and or from effecting postimpact remediation programmes to restore the Plaintiffs’ environment is null and void on grounds that the document relates to an unconscionable bargain which was signed under economic duress and in breach of statutory provisions.

Amongst other reliefs, they also sought order that the Defendant should commence post impact remediation programmes in respect of the Plaintiffs’ lands and waters polluted by the Defendant’s Idoho oil spill and do all such acts and things to clean up the environment of the Plaintiffs and to restore same to its original state.

This struggle for justice actually started way back in 1991. It was originally instituted at the Rivers State High Court, Nchia Division, by six indigenes of Ogoniland against the Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, United Kingdom, and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria Limited. Significantly, the plaintiffs alleged that it was the same case that led to the Ogoni struggle championed by the late Mr. Ken Saro Wiwa.

Almost 20 years later, in 2010, ten mettlesome indigenes of Ejama Community in Ogoniland, on behalf of their ravaged territory seized the bull by the horns. Again, they sued Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, United Kingdom, and SPDC at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for devastating oil spills that occurred when Shell operated in the community.

Apparently moved by the community’s horrific plight as well as adduced facts, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in 2010, awarded N17 billion against Shell for the devastations its operations wrought in Ejama-Ebubu. Bankers to Shell, FirstBank guaranteed to pay this sum.

The court equally granted the Ogoni chiefs 25 per cent interest charge on the principal sum of about N17 billion. SPDC then appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the appeal.

As a condition for granting the stay of execution, the court required Shell’s bankers, First Bank to provide a guarantee of the judgment sum.

The hapless Ejama-Ebubu community remained completely at sea striving to make sense of why the First Bank remained reluctant to pay the money when it was the body which voluntarily pledged to undertake the payment of the judgment debt should Shell lose at the Court of Appeal on December 20, 2012.

On June 6, 2017, Shell’s appeal was unanimously dismissed at the Court of Appeal with a N300,000 cost. Part of their processes to recover the judgment debt from the bank is the contempt proceedings they have instituted against the Chairman of the bank, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika for the court to commit her to prison for refusing to pay them the money. Earlier, Justice Buba adjourned the case to determine which applications would be heard first. But on Wednesday, his judgemnet put paid to the matter.

From THISDAY checks and sighting of the guarantee dated December 17, 2012, the First Bank had declared that: “Pursuant to the foregoing, the bank hereby guarantee to pay to the respondents the judgment sums only if the aforesaid appeal to the Court of Appeal fails and the appellants become liable in law to pay the judgment sums therein. “The guarantee and the bank’s liability thereunder shall be subject to all due process of law and payment by the bank under the guarantee will only be made upon receipt by the bank of the respondents’ written demand accompanied with duly certified copy of the

judgment of the Court of Appeal, stating that the judgment sum is due and payable by the appellants in the matter. “This guarantee shall become operative and enforceable from the 17th day of December 2012 and shall remain valid until 14 days after the determination of the aforementioned appeal at the Court of Appeal, after which it shall terminate, whether or not the original bank guarantee is returned to the bank for conciliation, provided however that the guaranteed shall immediately lapse and become void if the appeal is successful. “This guarantee is limited to the specific judgment sums specified above, it is not a continuing guarantee and shall not extend to any other sum payable by the appellants to the respondents neither shall it extend to any other transaction between them. This guarantee shall be governed by and subject to all the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and shall not be construed to fetter or limit the constitutional rights of the parties, including their right of appeal.�

The Ejama-Ebubu Story Ejama-Ebubu community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State was once a pristine paradise of nature, blessed with huge crude petroleum reserves. But decades later, predatory foreign oil exploration and exploitation practices have turned this gift into a curse.

Who’s Hon. Justice Ibrahim Buba Hon. Justice Ibrahim Nyaure Buba was born in Njawai, Taraba State on the Mambilla Plateau. He had his early education in Government Secondary School Gembu, Taraba State and his LLB (Hons) from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, where he graduated with a Second Class Upper grade.

He graduated from the Nigerian Law School with a Second Class Upper grade and was awarded with the Sir Lionel Brett award as the best graduating student in Criminal Procedure. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986.

He was elevated to the Nigerian bench in January 2004. He was the pioneer presiding Judge of the Federal High Court in Katsina, Nigeria and has served in different divisions of the Federal High Court including Port Harcourt, Asaba, Lafia and Jos. He is presently a Judge at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.

Prior to his appointment, he was a prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice, Benin, Nigeria, and a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri. He worked for various law firms across Nigeria, and later founded and became principal partner of Fama Firm, Kaduna, Nigeria in 1989 and grew the firm to be one of the foremost law firms in Northern Nigeria. Within this time, he was a foremost criminal defense Lawyer, taking part in various landmark criminal trials in Nigeria.

He has delivered various landmark decisions in commercial law during his time as Federal High Court Judge and attended numerous international conferences in Washington, New York, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

At press time, the main sentiment coursing through the Ejama-Ebubu Community is rare elation and expectancy. After two decades of a mismatched fight with two Goliaths, justice has visited their ravaged land. Many communities have indeed not been so lucky.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

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EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

Newspaper Columns

EBERE WABARA

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HIS is the foundational point—every other thing rests on it. What is the capacity of your vocabulary? Do you have a rich store of words? Is your pool of phrases and expressions deep? How is your mastery of communication principles? Can you read at least one book in a month? Can you write a clinical 1,000-word analysis or editorial on any given topic within 60 minutes? When and where can colleagues of yours bank on your professional capabilities and skills? The only way to measure your competency in information gathering, management and dissemination is to score at least 50 per cent in each of the foregoing posers. Anything short of that margin is sub-standard and demands improvement.

There are six categories of readers: (A): Those who read at least a book in a month; (B): Those who read at least a book in three months; (C): Those who read at least a book in six months; (D): Those who read at least a book in nine months; (E): Those who read at least a book in a year; and (F): Those who do not read at all! Where do you belong?

This is at the heart of vocabulary buildup. For instance, if you need to be a referential fellow in journalism, you must read—it is not optional. Otherwise, you are confined to journalistic artisanship! Writing is not mechanistic.

It is architectural in nature: it must be

BY

planned, organised and systematically presented.

You must have a mini-library at home and in the office indispensably containing at least a current dictionary, thesaurus, Bible/Quran (for spiritual regeneration), and a modern book of quotations. These are companionable materials. You must study (peruse)— not just read—them daily, morning and night.

Learn at least a new word (and its synonyms) or phrase or idiomatic expression each day x 7 x 30 x12 = work it yourself! Familiarize yourself with each addition: as much as possible scarcely employ those you have internalized over time. Let your writings exude novelties and freshness (the difference should be that between crisp and worn-out notes).

Listen to good speakers on radio and TV. Attend colloquia, conferences, symposia, seminars, workshops, short-term courses and any other cerebral meeting.

Participation in these sessions adds immeasurable value to your overall scope and knowledge base. Do not wait for your employers to send you or depend on external intervention (sponsorship).

No, invest in yourself, periodically!

Network reasonably and leverage all its concomitants. Good writing skill is a function of self-development and commitment to cerebral matters. Nobody can do it for you.

For inexplicable reasons, some expressions have become institutionalized in this part of the world and rabidly known as Nigerian English.

This is unacceptable in any formal/

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

standard writing. Somewhat, these informal collocations creep into the print and electronic media. In fact, it is so bad that at times purists begin to doubt themselves because of the ubiquity of these informal creations!

Newspaper language is elevated, formal and standard. Any other entry outside this is colloquialism and should not be allowed in a soar-away market leaders like DAILY SUN or even provincial publications, for that matter. The audiences of your racy medium comprise the elite in business, governance, politics and the academia.

You cannot afford to be like the floundering, ragtag media outlets on the fringes. I have an attachment of some of the ‘Nigerian English’ oddities. The list is inexhaustive—you should be able to add as many as possible!

You must develop yourself in such way that you become critical of any written work, no matter the author or the apparent perfection. Once you attain this level, it becomes easier to spot blunders and improve on even well-written materials. To reach this height will require compliance with the foregoing and other germane issues that are not captured here.

We must be conversant with new media technologies and their usages: Google, Yahoo, Dictionary.com, Answers.com, social network sites and other online portals too numerous to be mentioned here. Conventional communication methodology is giving way to this latest technological onslaught.

Your choice of words, their organization and your style determine your

sentence and paragraphs and ultimately what are cumulatively known as syntax, lexis and structure in grammar. Once the foundational collaterals (parts of speech, word usage, sentence construction, paragraph harmonization, spelling, punctuation and sequence) are faulty at any point in the lexical equity chain, communicative dysfunction sets in. So, instead of ‘big words,’ use simple ones. Clarity is critical to writing—don’t write to impress anyone with verbosity. Needless or worthless verbiage is antithetical to good writing. Always remember that simplicity is the soul of writing.

Any of the above sub-heads is the greatest enemy of classical writing and fine prose that flourishes. They diminish the flow of reading and quality of output. Avoid them as much as you can—in fact, as the bible says, flee from them lest they lead you into poor craftsmanship and ruin you irredeemably! You will not be there with the reader of your work to explain the inevitability of the blunder. Overall, cultivate tight writing—it forecloses errors.

If you do not understand the foregoing basic principles, rules and grammar of the English language, you may not go far professionally in this business of writing. Even if you circumstantially (or, as they say, accidentally!) do, the quality of your work will inevitably underscore people’s perception of you and your reputational reckoning. As Prof. Adidi Uyo of Unilag would say, if you must write, write it right!

Buhari, NASS and the Night of Long Knives

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he days of diplomacy and niceties between the National Assembly and the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari may have gone for good. Or bad, depending on which side of the unfolding drama you stand. But wherever side of the fence anyone belongs is of no consequence to the fact that governance is now fully run aground to the detriment of hapless and helpless citizens of Nigeria who invested their hopes and aspirations in the ‘change’ chants of the current administration in 2015.

The relationship between both arms of government appears to have broken down irretrievably. That much could be gleaned from the tone of the 12-point resolutions reached by a joint executive session of the federal legislature on Tuesday. Irritated by the irascible insolence of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, who has edged the name, personality and good offices of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, into disrepute by associating him with the dastardly Offa robbery incident, the National Assembly steadied itself for a fight to finish with the President. By threatening to invoke constitutional provisions to get the President to act in compliance with the resolutions of the executive session, the Senate and House of Representatives have collectively passed the message that the cracks in the romance have finally become a chasm too wide to close. “The national assembly will not hesitate to invoke its constitutional power if nothing is done address the bulk of resolutions passed today,” the legislators concluded after reeling a list of demands Mr. Buhari must accede to in order to avoid the inevitable.

Unfortunately, the message appeared lost on a President that has though while seeming to respect the independence of the legislature as a separate arm of government, is not keen on observing the sanctity and respect it deserves as a partner in progress.

It is possible that President Buhari may himself be given to a decorous relationship with the National Assembly but the actions and/or inactions of his appointees actuate a completely different tendency.

As the lawmakers put it, Buhari “must be held accountable for the actions of his appointees and must be ready to sanction any act which will ridicule the country and our country’s democracy and that there must be strict adherence to the rule of law and protection of all citizen.”

All of the rough rides both arms of the government have been through are mainly as a result of the actions or decisions of heady actors in the executive arm of government. From the case of Hameed Ali, the Comptroller General of the Customs Service, who had a brush with the Senate over refusal to wear uniform; to the fiery exchange with the Minister

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Buhari of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, over budget padding; to name-calling over salaries and allowances between the chairman of Buhari’s anti-corruption committee, Prof. Itse Sagay, and the Senate; it has been a big basket of sour grapes. And in almost of these conflicts, the National Assembly has been presented and perceived by much of the mob as the bad guy in pursuit of the frivolous, pecuniary, and prebendal. This perception unfortunately, is a combination of a carry-over of negative public profile from years of scandals and missteps by the National Assembly since the Fourth Republic; and a lack of proper understanding and adequate appre-

ciation of the roles and functions of the legislature in a presidential democracy as currently practiced in Nigeria. Because of this, the legislature automatically is left with the shorter end of the stick in its disagreements or battles with the executive arm of government, no matter how wrong-footed the latter is.

This is the understanding that emboldens the grandstanding of the Nigeria Police with the Senate and its president, Sen. Bukola Saraki. I have written about this previously in this column and still hold the view that a legislature that has the overwhelming support of the citizens it represents will not be allowed to take the dose of disrespect and disdain the police under Mr. Idris is currently serving it. But even in this discomforting circumstance, the Senate cannot be allowed to be dragged on the mud the way and manner the police is going about it. Without prejudice to its powers to investigate and prosecute crimes and other offences, the police has gone on overdrive to get Saraki implicated in the Offa bloody robbery attack which left scores dead and properties worth billions of naira destroyed or looted. In deliberately neglecting to separate political thuggery from armed robbery and insisting on making the Senate President answer questions on his alleged association with robbery suspects is a blow below the belt for not just Saraki but the entire institution of the Senate. The fact that the same police boss has bluntly declined legislative summons serially and consecutively makes matters even worse. Worst of all is when the Senate in a desperate attempt to insulate the President from the recalcitrance of his appointee reported the IG of police to Buhari at a meeting in the villa.

The resort to target the President directly therefore must be understood within this context. And in an attempt to make the matter sit well in the court of public opinion, the demands by the National Assembly touched on other issues of direct concern to the citizenry, including the raging killings and the high level of unemployment and hardship in the country.

But it appears Buhari is unfazed as the President’s camp is seemingly going all out against both perceived and real enemies in the legislature. First of all, the Buhari Support Group in the National Assembly in a swift counter, sought to rubbish the resolutions of the joint session by labeling it a PDP affair. Media reports during the week suggested that the plan is to actually go frontal against the leadership of Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. If this eventually plays out, then the nation must be ready for a series night of long knives where casualties could cut both ways. But unfortunately, the ultimate losers would be Nigeria and Nigerians who just want peace to continue to lead their already burdened lives, with or without the noisome nuisance served by politicians.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

Rolls-Royce Phantom Earns Autocar ‘Five-Star Car’ Award

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he new Rolls-Royce Phantom has been presented with a ‘Five-star Car’ accolade at the Autocar Awards 2018, which celebrates the best cars produced in the automotive industry over the past year.

Introduced over 80 years ago, the famousAutocar road test remains one of most thorough and exacting assessments to which a new car can be subjected. The new Phantom is one of just two cars to be awarded five stars in 2018.

In naming the new Rolls-Royce Phantom a ‘Five-star Car’, Autocar wrote, “The eighth car to carry the Phantom nameplate displays staggering technical complexity yet functions with immaculate refinement, polish, comfort and grace. It has a sense of occasion far in advance of anything else on four wheels and is now better to drive than ever before. As our road testers concluded, the world’s greatest and finest luxury car is now also the very best.�

Torsten MĂźller-Ă–tvĂśs, Chief Executive, RollsRoyce Motor Cars, added, “Our engineers and designers made incalculable efforts to redefine the notions of comfort and luxury when they developed the Phantom. The most silent and refined car on the road, the Phantom demonstrates a true devotion to luxury, manifested in beauty, power and bespoke craftsmanship. We are honoured to receiveAutocar’s ‘Five-star Car’ award as a testament to the skill and passion which embodies Rolls-Royce’s tireless pursuit of perfection.â€?

The Phantom’s collection of accolades includes the ‘Best Luxury Car’ prize in the UK Car of the Year Awards, ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ by Top Gear Magazine and ‘Best Supernatural Driving Experience’ by British GQ.

Jaguar E-PACE

Jaguar E-Pace Available with Efficient 147kw Petrol Engine, Adaptive Suspension Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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he record-breaking Jaguar E-PACE is now even more comfortable. New updates for the sporty compact SUV include an Adaptive Dynamics suspension set-up, along with a cost-effective and efficient 147kW petrol engine.

Launched spectacularly with the world’s furthest barrel roll by a production car, E-PACE has already achieved strong sales in a highly competitive segment. It’s now even more appealing and affordable with a raft of new features available.

Adaptive Dynamics: For improved ride comfort Adaptive Dynamicsoffers improved handling response, body control and ride.Adaptive Dynamics uses continuously variable damper technology

witha triple-tube design and externally mounted hydraulic valves. This provides greater scope to tune the balance between handling responses and body control. The intelligent set-up delivers faster responses and a dedicated off-road tune.

Adaptive Dynamics monitors vehicle movements every 2 milliseconds and calculates the required damping force every 10 milliseconds to respond instantly to the driver’s inputs and road surface changes, providing greater control and minimising body roll. Rough surfaces and off-road conditions are sensed immediately, and the damping adapts accordingly.

Drivers can select Normal and Dynamic settings for the Adaptive Dampers through the Configurable Dynamics menu in the Jaguar Drive Control system.

The Normal mode focuses on comfort while the Dynamic setting is calibrated to provide increased body control and road holding, enhancing driver

confidence behind the wheel.

Cost-effective 147kW petrol engine E-PACE is now available with Jaguar Land Rover’s clean and efficient 147kW 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine for the first time. The 147kW model completes the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.2 seconds, delivering fuel economy of 8.2 l/100km and CO2 emissions of 186 g/km.

The new engine features the same collection of advanced technologies found across the rest of the Ingenium engine family. This includes a twin scroll turbocharger, Continuously Variable Valve Lift and variable cam timing which work to enhance power and efficiency as well as drivability. The 147kW E-PACE is scheduled for launch in October and is available to order now from respective sub-Sahara Africa Jaguar Land Rover distributors.

Meanwhile, Jaguar XE SV Project 8 Assemblies

Hyundai Takes FIFA World Football Museum from Zurich to Moscow

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yundai Motor, the official partner of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, will be bringing the FIFA World Football Museum™ from Zurich to the Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow.

This exhibition celebrates the FIFA World Cup through the passion and devotion of the fans and tells the event’s history through the players who have left an indelible mark on it in the past.

One highlight of the exhibition will be the Jules Rimet Cup, making its first public display outside of the FIFA World Football Museum™. The Jules Rimet Cup was the original FIFA World Cup™ Trophy between 1930 and 1970. It was stolen twice, once in 1966 and again in 1983 in Brazil. The trophy has never been recovered. However, the original base of the Jules Rimet Cup does remain on which the names of the first four winners of the FIFA World Cup™ are inscribed. It was discovered in a basement of the federation’s Zßrich headquarters in 2014, now attached with an identical replica of the lost part of the trophy. Fans will have a chance to see this trophy at the Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow during the whole exhibition period, while the 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy will be on display on the 9th of June.

The adidas Telstar Official Match Balls used for the kick-off of all 64 matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will also be seen through the façade window of the Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow, together with a giant match table of the tournament in real time. Each of the 64 matches

Trophies will be on display at FIFA World Football Museum™ at the Hyundai Motorstudio in Moscow played during the tournament in Russia has an Official Match Ball customized for the kick-off.

At the end of each game, the kick-off balls will be brought back from all 12 stadiums to Moscow and added to the exhibition.

In addition, the exhibition will feature objects from

the FIFA World Football Museum™ Collection from the first FIFAWorld Cup™ in 1930 until the latest edition. Visitors will discover objects and stories from players like PelÊ, Diego Maradona, Lev Yashin, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Also, Hyundai will exhibit elements of the 32

will begin this month. Hand-assembly of the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8, the most powerful, agile and extreme performance Jaguar road car ever, begins in June 2018. The first examples of Project 8, a limited-edition sports sedan with genuine supercar performance, will be delivered to performance driving enthusiasts this summer.

TheAll-Wheel Drive 441kW 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 petrol Project 8, which has a top speed of 322km/h and accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds*, set a new four-door production car record around the NĂźrburgring Nordschleife in Germany last year – the ‘gold’ standard for all-round high performance. Its best lap of 7 min 21.23 sec was quicker than many supercars. It is available either as a four-seater or in lightweight two-seat Track Pack configuration, which also boosts torsional rigidity by 27 percent over the four-seat version (Track Pack is a marketdependent option at extra cost).

qualified countries’ fan cultures selected from fans’ participation in the Hyundai World Football Heritage campaign from April 15 to May 18, through Hyundai’s 2018 FIFA World Cup™ digital platform (http://worldcup.hyundai.com).

Visitors can also view an array of rainbow themed jerseys from the 32 participating countries. “In collaboration with the FIFA World Football Museum™ we are delighted to open this special exhibition for the first time in the Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow, in the heart of Russia during the 2018 FIFAWorld Cup Russia™.â€? Wonhong Cho, Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor said. “As the FIFAWorld Cup™’s Official Automotive Partner, we are committed to supporting and furthering the development of world football by providing fans with unique and enjoyable experiences like this, in the same way we are committed to caring for our customers by ensuring special and rewarding Hyundai ownership experiences over the world.â€? “Football fans from all around the world can be looking forward to visiting a lot of attractions in Moscow during the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

They will be able to experience the finals not only in the stadiums, but also at the FIFA Fan Fests, at the Red Square – and now thanks to this collaboration with Hyundai even at the FIFAWorld Football Museum™. This unique exhibition will showcase the history of the FIFA World Cup™ with many fascinating objects to celebrate the heritage of football�, said FIFASecretary General, Fatma Samoura.

The FIFAWorld Football Museum Presented by Hyundai at the Hyundai Motorstudio Moscow will host an opening event for guests on June 8, 2018 and hold its exhibition to public from June 9 to July 20 for 42 days. Hyundai began its association with FIFA in 1999 and will continue to be a top-tier partner of FIFA as the Official Automotive Partner until 2022.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

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LEXUS LC: A Luxury Coupe with Stand-Out Performance

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The V-Class combines van and Mercedes-Benz saloon

V-Class: Combination of Van, Mercedes-Benz Saloon Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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ollowing its market launch in 2014, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class immediately became an international success and more so in Nigeria since its introduction in 2017.

This, according to Mr. Mirko Plath, Managing Director/CEO WeststarAssociates Limited (the Authorized General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria) is as a result of the international growth strategy of Mercedes-Benz “Vans goes global� with the goal to further extend the business unit’s technology leadership, expand existing brand activities and tap into new growth

potential outside the core European markets.

The V-Class according to Mr. Plath fits in perfectly to this global approach as it combines luxury, utility and performance for customers who want to have an enjoyable driving experience with the functionality of a van that can serve their daily needs for both personal use and work related activities as it comes with features that include a generous interior space, an attractive exterior design, technological leadership, high quality equipment and excellent safety highlights that sets it apart from its competitors. “Customers in Nigeria can now enjoy luxury and utility together in a van as the V-Class is built fol-

lowing the excellent standards of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and is equipped with a generous amount of interior space to accommodate business and family needs of different customer groups.

From the interior and exterior designs to the safety and driving assistance systems, the new V-Class is way ahead in its segment.�

The new V-Class comes in three different lines (Standard,AVANTGARDE and EXCLUSIVE) and in addition an exclusive AMG line which comes with refined sportiness. The standard V-Class line’s exteriordesignisequippedwith16-inchsteelwheels, halogen headlamps, a manual tailgate with fixed rear window and four individual seats in the rear.

he flagship Lexus LC luxury coupe has swept the field against its direct European rivals to be named one of the top three performance cars available in Australia.

Judges of the motoring.com.au “Australia’s Best Driver’s Car� award said the LC was a stand-out luxury coupe with V8 hustle and impeccable road manners.

They were impressed by the car’s “exquisite metal form�, its Yamaha-tuned 351kW/540Nm 5.0-litre V8 engine and its Lexus-first 10-speed automatic transmission. “The LC 500 is the best looking, best sounding, best driving Lexus I have ever sat in - apart from LFA,� said judge and veteran motoring journalist Bruce Newton. Lexus chief executive Scott Thompson said the LC had excelled in judging that included driver’s roads, a technically challenging racetrack and a quarter-mile dragstrip. “The LC advances Lexus as a luxury lifestyle brand dedicated to creating cars with exciting, emotional designs and exhilarating performance that delivers outstanding acceleration and responsiveness,� he said.

Demanding road driving and on-track performance testing by judges highlighted the credentials of the LC coupe’s rear-drive chassis and the car’s optimum weight distribution.

The judges said crisp steering with good feedback made for a very satisfying drive on twisty alpine roads. “Excellent turn-in, strong brakes and a fast-acting 10-speed transmission delivers instant gratification of the sweetest kind,� they said.

Decorated Tasmanian motorsport identity Greg Crick said, “This whole package is nothing short of amazing.�

The LC was also described as “a performance Lexus like no other� with an ability to surprise and delight. Its sound-control valves fully exploited the V8 sound at start-up, stand still and on throttle, resulting in a “hearty soundtrack� that proved to be “a constant source of enjoyment.�

Judges also praised the hand-crafted interior that produced “a tactile feast� finished with precision-perfect levels of detail. The Mark Levinson 13-speaker surround sound noise-cancelling audio system is a wonder all its own, they said.

All New BMW X5: Prestige SAV with Innovative Technologies

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he fourth generation of the BMW X5 impresses with its wealth of innovations and represents the most compelling embodiment yet of the familiar Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).

Its fuel consumption combined: 11.6 – 6.0 l/100 km [24.4 – 47.1 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 264 – 158 g/km; provisional values*.

Blueprint: the ability to venture off road combined with a talent for dynamic driving pleasure on it.

Fourth generation of the BMW X family patriarch.

New BMW X5 opens the next chapter in the success story of the SportsActivity Vehicle (SAV) segment’s founder, of which more than 2.2 million units have been sold so far. New edition of the BMW X5 captures the imagination with clarity of design, comfortable, sporty and authoritative driving attributes and innovative equipment features. Production

A

s I draw the curtain on this piece which has run for the last two weeks, let me again remind you of the hazards I highlighted when I started my tips to guide your driving in the rain. If you have patiently followed my write-up, you will recall that I opened up with series of obstructions caused by the windy rainfall in April 2018.Even in May, the windy rainfall has continued its havoc as reported by my colleague in Ogun State. According to the report, there was heavy rainfall around the Siun Junction along Ajaokuta-Sagamu express way on May 8, 2018. On that faithful day the report continued, it rained overnight and into the next morning resulting in falling tress which obstructed traffic Staff from the Federal Road Safety Commands and indigenes from the nearby communities were mobilized to use cutlasses to slash the tress into parts for ease of removal from the expressway. This incident is similar to the incident I cited earlier.

For those who missed my opening piece this is how I opened my writings when I noted that, ’’Apart from Jos in Plateau State, there were ugly reminders on some hazards likely to be faced by motorist especially those who rarely heed our warnings during such period. These hazards occurred on May 5th this year when obstructions occurred as a result of fallen trees caused by windy rainfalls along the Lagos Ore expressway.

These obstructions occurred on various portions of the road; the first was along the

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First BMW model to be available with 22-inch light-alloy wheels (optional). M light-alloy wheels in twin-spoke design and BMW Individual light-alloy wheels available from launch in this size.

Market launch of the new BMW X5 with four engine variants: Newly developed V8 petrol engine with 340 kW/462 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive50i (not available in Europe), six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with 250 kW/340 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive40i (fuel consumption combined: 8.8 – 8.5 l/100 km

The All-new BMW X5

Driving in the Rain Tips SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education OďŹƒcer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491

Lagos ore road 33km from lagos to ore; the second was at onipetesi,36km from Lagos to ore while there was another along the Ayetoro/Adewinle axis,44km from Lagos to ore. If you thought the windy rains were done with the cited ones, let me inform you that there were damages caused at Oniaraga axis, 47km from Lagos to ore, at Oni-tea axis-52km Lagos to ore while the last was the fallen trees after Oni Bridge, 57km from Lagos to Ore. Kudos to the Federal Road Safety Command at Ore, and Ajebanmidele who swiftly sought the assistance of Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria Limited in clearing the obstructions using their pay loader. These obstructions brought to the fore the wisdom in ensuring that your headlamps are on so as to be seen and to be seen by others which will be discussed in the course of this piece. As I go on, please remember that driving under special conditions such as the rainy season requires extra care, concentration, discipline and

consideration’’.

As we conclude, please allow me share this material my colleague, sent to me titled, SAFE - DRIVING TIPS ...WHEN IT IS RAINING!!!

GOOD VISION IN A DOWNPOUR- How to achieve good vision while driving during a heavy downpour. We are not sure why it is so effective; just try this method when it rains heavily. This method was told by a Police friend who had experienced and confirmed it. It is useful...even driving at night. Most of the motorists would turn wind shield wipers on ‘HIGH’ or on the ’FASTEST SPEED’ during heavy downpour, yet the visibility in front of the windshield is still bad.. In the event you face such a situation, just put on your ‘SUNGLASSES’ and miracles! All of a sudden, your visibility in front of your windshield is perfectly clear, as if there is no rain.

Make sure you always have a pair of SUNGLASSES in your car. You are not only helping yourself to drive safely with good vision, but also might save your friend’s life by giving him this idea. Try it yourself and share it with your friends...!!!Amazingly, you’ll still see the drops on the windshield, but not the sheet of rain falling. You’ll also see where the rain bounces off the road.

Wearing sunglasses works to eliminate the “blindness� from passing cars. Or the “kickup� if you are following a car in the rain. They ought to teach this little tip in driver’s training. It really does work. This is a good warning.I wonder how many people

knew about this???

Another good tip: A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago. It was raining, though not excessively when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence! When she explained to the Police Officer what had happened, he told her something that every driver should know – NEVER - EVER ‘DRIVE’ IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON.’ She however, thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain. But the Police Officer told her that if the cruise control is on, your car will in fact begin to hydro-plane. When the tires lose contact with the road, your car will automatically accelerate to a higher rate of speed, making you take off like an aeroplane.

She told the Officer that was exactly what had occurred.

The Officer said; ‘This warning should be listed, on the driver’s seat sun-visor -’NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE ROAD IS WET OR ICY’ Along with the airbag warning. ‘We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed - but; ‘We don’t tell them to use the cruise control only when the road is dry.

The only person the accident victim found who knew this, (besides the Officer), was a man who’d had a similar accident

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

FAMILY HEALTH with

Chamomile, The Wonder Herb

C

hamomile, nature’s wonder plant. It is widely known that from the beginning at creation, God created plants and vegetation and instructed us to them and eat them.

But man in our usual way of refining and upgrading our lifestyle have totally eroded and depleted the natural goodness that was put in every fruit and vegetation for our benefit. We decided to process and waste all the natural goodness and nourishment in what God created for our good.

There are a lot of benefits. But of recent , many people have gradually found their way to using natural herbs in its raw state , to improve nourishment and health benefits .

One of such herbs that is the one in all remedy is chamomile.

Chamomile Benefits: r "OUJPYJEBOU r "OUJ *OåBNNBUPSZ BOE r "OUJ $BODFS Considered to be one of the most ancient and versatile medicinal herbs known to mankind, dried chamomile åPXFST IBWF OVNFSPVT XJEFTQSFBE IFBMUI JNQMJDBUJPOT UIBOLT UP UIFJS IJHI MFWFM PG EJTFBTF à HIUJOH BOUJPYJ EBOUT MJLF UFSQFOPJET BOE åBWPOPJET $IBNPNJMF T WJUBM BOUJPYJEBOUT BSF GPVOE JO UIF QMBOU T QPUFOU PJMT and are the main contributors to its natural healing properties.‌ Where it is found Chamomile is a traditional medicinal herb native UP XFTUFSO &VSPQF *OEJB BOE XFTUFSO "TJB *U IBT become abundant in the United States, where it has escaped cultivation to grow freely in pastures, DPSOà FMET SPBETJEFT BOE PUIFS TVOOZ XFMM ESBJOFE BSFBT $IBNPNJMF åPXFST DBO PGUFO CF GPVOE JO UIF yard and in the wild, but the tea is usually made from the German variety.

Interesting Chamomile Facts Chamomile grows in the form of small shrub that usually reaches 8 to 12 inches in height. German chamomile grows to the height of 3 feet.

Chamomile has green, feathery leaves that are alternately arranged on the stem.

Chamomile blooms from June to July. Flies are main QPMMJOBUPS PG DIBNPNJMF ĂĄPXFST Name “chamomileâ€? originates from Greek words “chamosâ€?, which means “groundâ€? and “milosâ€? which means “appleâ€?. Chamomile is named that way because it grows close to the ground and smells like apple.

Chemical compounds and oils that are used in NFEJDBM BOE DPTNFUJD JOEVTUSZ BSF FYUSBDUFE GSPN UIF ĂĄPXFS Even though beneficial effects of chamomile are not scientifically proven, chamomile is used in treatment of more than 100 different disorders.

Chamomile can be used in the form of tea, tincture, lotion, capsules or various drops. $IBNPNJMF QPTTFTTFT BOUJ JOĂĄBNNBUPSZ QSPQFSUJFT can be used for disinfection and to relieve the pain.

It is mainly used for the treatment of urinary and ocular infections, skin rash, toothache, respiratory QBJO QSFNFOTUSVBM QBJO NJHSBJOF JOTPNOJB BOYJFUZw Caution Chamomile can induce side effects when it is con TVNFE JO DPNCJOBUJPO XJUI PUIFS NFEJDBUJPOT "MTP chamomile may induce premature birth because it stimulates contraction of the uterus.

People that are allergic to ragweed will probably FYIJCJU BMMFSHZ UP UIF DIBNPNJMF "MMFSHZ DBO CF USJH gered after application of cream containing chamomile or after consumption of tea.

Chamomile plant Considered to be one of the most ancient and versatile medicinal herbs known to mankind, dried chamomile åPXFST IBWF OVNFSPVT XJEFTQSFBE IFBMUI JNQMJDB UJPOT UIBOLT UP UIFJS IJHI MFWFM PG EJTFBTF à HIUJOH BOUJPYJEBOUT MJLF UFSQFOPJET BOE åBWPOPJET $IBNPNJMF T WJUBM BOUJPYJEBOUT BSF GPVOE JO UIF plant’s potent oils and are the main contributors to its OBUVSBM IFBMJOH QSPQFSUJFT "T BO FGGFDUJWF BMUFSOBUJWF medicine with almost no known negative side effects, chamomile has been used for nearly 5,000 years in TUBOEBSEJ[FE UFB IFSCBM FYUSBDU BOE DPTNFUJD GPSNT to promote tranquility, vitality, a youthful appearance and longevity.

Wonder herb: Proven Chamomile BeneďŹ ts One cup of chamomile tea has two calories, two milligrams of sodium and no cholesterol. Chamomile is commonly used for improving many different health conditions, including: r 'JHIUJOH BOYJFUZ BOE EFQSFTTJPO r /BUVSBM BMMFSHZ Ă HIUFS PS IBZ GFWFS r "OUJ JOĂĄBNNBUPSZ r .VTDMF TQBTNT USFBUNFOU r 1.4 OBUVSBM SFNFEZ BOE PUIFS NFOTUSVBM EJTPSEFST

Recently, several studies dug into the anti-cancer activity of chamomile. Evidence shows positive eects of chamomile stopping cancerous tumor growth and acting as a natural cancer treatment.

Inhibition of cancerous cells is believed to be due to chamomile’s antioxidants called apigenin, which are bioactive constituents that appear to help ďŹ ght skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers.

In a recent study, chamomile extracts were shown to cause minimal growth inhibitory eects on normal healthy cells, but showed signiďŹ cant reductions in human cancer cells, especially androgen-refractory cells that often lead to prostate cancer

r *OTPNOJB DVSF r 4LJO EJTPSEFST r 6MDFST r 8PVOET r (BTUSPJOUFTUJOBM EJTPSEFST r /BUVSBM BSUISJUJT DVSF BOE SIFVNBUJD QBJO SFMJFWFS r )FNPSSIPJET IPNF SFNFEZ How can one herb do so much?

Chamomile benefits include being used in dozens of ways to soothe the body, whether it be lowering pain due to sickness or childbirth, or fighting skin JSSJUBUJPOT BOE IFMQJOH SFEVDF BOYJFUZ 5IF MJTU PG XBZT UIBU DIBNPNJMF FYUSBDU DBO CF VTFE JT TVSQSJTJOHMZ MPOH BOE TPNF QPQVMBS BMM OBUVSBM chamomile remedies include: diffusing it in the home to help with falling asleep; applying its oils to skin to heal bug bites, itching and act as a natural eczema remedy; adding it to toothpaste or mouthwash to kill UPPUIBDIFT BOE JOĂĄBNNBUJPO JOHFTUJOH DIBNPNJMF as a liver cleanse and heal digestive issues; and Chamomile BeneďŹ ts )JHI 4PVSDF PG "OUJPYJEBOUT 5IF NBJO BOUJPYJEBOU DPNQPOFOUT FYUSBDUFE GSPN DIBNPNJMF ĂĄPXFST BSF UIF UFSQFOPJE HSPVQ PG BOUJPYJEBOUT JODMVEJOH DIBNB[VMFOF BOE BDFUZMFOF derivatives. Because these delicate compounds are unstable, they’re thought to be best preserved in an alcoholic tincture or “essential oilâ€? form.

5IFTF DPNQPVOET MPXFS JOĂĄBNNBUJPO CZ Ă HIUJOH free radical damage and preventing cell mutation. $IBNPNJMF CFOFĂ UT TUBSU XJUI BOUJPYJEBOUT UIBU BSF associated with better immune function; lower rates of mood disorders; reduced pain and swelling; and healthier skin, hair, nails, teeth and eyes.

'JHIUT "OYJFUZ BOE %FQSFTTJPO Chamomile, whether in tea, tincture or essential oil form, is one the best medicinal herbs for fighting stress BOE QSPNPUJOH SFMBYBUJPO *OIBMJOH DIBNPNJMF WBQPST using chamomile essential oils is often recommended BT B OBUVSBM SFNFEZ GPS BOYJFUZ BOE HFOFSBM EFQSFTTJPO which is one reason why chamomile oil is a popular ingredient in many candles, aromatherapy products BOE CBUI TPBLJOH USFBUNFOUT *O FYUSBDU GPSN DIBNPNJMF JT GSFRVFOUMZ VTFE BT B NJME TFEBUJWF UP DBMN OFSWFT BOE SFEVDF BOYJFUZ CFDBVTF its vapors travel directly to the olfactory part of the brain, turning off tension and reducing the body’s stress response. This is why practitioners use chamomile to FGGFDUJWFMZ SFMJFWF TZNQUPNT PG DISPOJD BOYJFUZ BOE stress, including hysteria, nightmares, insomnia and various digestive problems.

Smells are carried directly to the brain, and they serve as an emotional trigger such as feelings of fear, anger and attraction. Our basic emotions and hormonal balance are in response to the most basic smell. Scents are a direct pathway to memory and emotion. Fragrances, like chamomile, relieve pain and generally affect personality and behavior. *NQSPWFT %JHFTUJPO #FMJFWFE UP CF B QPXFSGVM EJHFTUJWF SFMBYBOU chamomile can be used to treat various gastrointestinal EJTUVSCBODFT JODMVEJOH HBT BDJE SFĂĄVY TZNQUPNT JOEJHFTUJPO EJBSSIFB BOPSFYJB NPUJPO TJDLOFTT OBVTFB BOE WPNJUJOH $IBNPNJMF FYUSBDU DBO IFMQ TIPSUFO

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com ͸΀͸ͽ͝͝Ϳͺ͝ͽ͞

the course of diarrhea and colic in children as well as relieve symptoms associated with the conditions MJLF QBJO BOE BOYJFUZ $IBNPNJMF PJM BMTP DPOUBJOT BOPEZOF DPNQPVOET UIBU BSF BOUJ TQBTNPEJD SF ducing cramping, constipation and other stomach QBJOT .BOZ PG UIFTF CFOFĂ UT BSF EVF UP DIBNPNJMF T OBUVSBM SFMBYJOH FGGFDUT )BT 4USPOH "OUJ *OĂĄBNNBUPSZ BOE 1BJO 3FEVDJOH "CJMJUJFT Chamomile is sometimes called an “herbal aspirinâ€? since it’s been a popular home remedy for lowering QBJO GPS DFOUVSJFT $IBNPNJMF ĂĄPXFST BSF VTFE BMPOF PS JO DPNCJOBUJPO XJUI PUIFS BOUJ JOĂĄBNNBUPSZ GPPET to reduce pain, congestion, swelling and redness.

They’re effective at reducing facial swelling, skin irritations, toothaches, pain from infections and VOEFSMZJOH JTTVFT PG JOåBNNBUJPO 5IJT JT UIF SFBTPO DIBNPNJMF FYUSBDU JT DPNNPOMZ BEEFE UP CFBVUZ products like facial or body lotions, toothpastes, and bath soaps.

Chamomile can also naturally lower pain associ ated with arthritis, injuries, back pain, fevers and QSFHOBODZ *O GBDU JUT QBJO SFEVDJOH RVBMJUJFT BSF even used to soothe the body and mind after giving CJSUI 'PS FYBNQMF JO TPNF QBSUT PG UIF XPSME MJLF .FYJDP DIBNPNJMF UFB JT HJWFO UP XPNFO BGUFS MBCPS UP SFMBY UIFJS BCEPNJOBM NVTDMFT BOE IFMQ UIFN SFTU .BZ )FMQ 'JHIU $BODFS 3FDFOUMZ TFWFSBM TUVEJFT EVH JOUP UIF BOUJ DBODFS activity of chamomile. Evidence shows positive effects of chamomile stopping cancerous tumor growth and acting as a natural cancer treatment. Inhibition of cancerous cells is believed to be due to chamomile’s BOUJPYJEBOUT DBMMFE BQJHFOJO XIJDI BSF CJPBDUJWF constituents that appear to help fight skin, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers. *O B SFDFOU TUVEZ DIBNPNJMF FYUSBDUT XFSF TIPXO to cause minimal growth inhibitory effects on normal healthy cells, but showed significant reductions in IVNBO DBODFS DFMMT FTQFDJBMMZ BOESPHFO SFGSBDUPSZ cells that often lead to prostate cancer.

3FMJFWFT $POHFTUJPO Because chamomile benefits include both fighting infections and reducing mucus congestion, it’s added to many nasal sprays. Chamomile tea is also a good choice when you’re sick and want to beat a cold, the åV PS TJOVT JOGFDUJPO 4UVEJFT JOEJDBUF UIBU JOIBMJOH TUFBN XJUI DIBNPNJMF FYUSBDU JT IFMQGVM JO DPNNPO cold symptoms. Some people even gargle chamomile UFB PS FYUSBDU UP à HIU JOåBNNBUJPO PG UIF NVDPVT membranes and within the mouth and throat.

3FKVWFOBUFT 4LJO Suffering from breakouts or dry, irritated, aged, SFE TLJO 5SZ VTJOH DIBNPNJMF PJM NJYFE JOUP MPUJPO Chamomile promotes smooth, healthy skin and SFMJFWFT JSSJUBUJPOT UIBOLT UP JUT BOUJ JOĂĄBNNBUPSZ BOE BOUJCBDUFSJBM QSPQFSUJFT $IBNPNJMF T ĂĄBWPOPJET and essential oils penetrate below the skin surface into the deeper skin layers of the skin, preserving its youthful appearance, completion and immune EFGFOTFT "T B USBEJUJPOBM NFEJDJOF JU T CFFO VTFE for centuries to treat wounds, ulcers, eczema, gout, skin irritations, bruises, burns and canker sores.

Today, we know chamomile benefits and uses go even further — it’s also useful for getting rid of signs of aging like dark spots and fine lines, reducing EBOESVGG OBUVSBMMZ USFBUJOH DIJDLFOQPY RVJDLMZ BOE GBEJOH TDBST "EEJUJPOBMMZ JU NBLFT B HSFBU OBUVSBM diaper rash treatment and can even be used around the eyes to fight infections and sties.

8. Keeps Gum and Teeth Conditions In addition to healing skin and the respiratory tract, chamomile benefits include the ability to fight various bacterial infections of the oral cavity, teeth and gums. Chamomile benefits help reduce pain associated with cancer sores, wounds and toothaches, plus they fight harmful bacteria that can live within the mouth. .BZ *NQSPWF )FBSU )FBMUI 3FDFOUMZ DIBNPNJMF IBT CFFO BTTPDJBUFE XJUI providing cardiovascular protection. Because of JUT IJHI MFWFM PG åBWPOPJET DIBNPNJMF DPOTVNFE in foods is linked with a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease in elderly men. One study QVCMJTIFE JO 5IF -BODFU BTTFTTFE UIF åBWPOPJE intake of 805 men aged 65–84 years and found that IJHIFS åBWPOPJE JOUBLF GSPN GPPET BOE IFSCT XBT significantly inversely associated with mortality from coronary heart disease Best way to prepare : Pour fresh water in a clean saucepan (one that you reserve for tea making). Boil the water while you SJOTF BOE DMFBO DIBNPNJMF åPXFST GSFTI PS ESZ JO DPME XBUFS 1VU UFBTQPPOT PG åPXFST GPS FWFSZ cup of water) in the water once it comes to a boil.

There are several brands of chamomile teas being sold . a tea bag per cup , with hot water, you allow to TFFQ GPS NJOVUFT "OE ESJOL TMPXMZ *U JT TPPUIJOH and very beneficial for you.

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

09.06.2018

Dele Ajiboye

Hoping for a Future with Super Eagles

KING OF CLAY PAGE. 29

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

Dele Ajiboye

Hoping for a Future with Super Eagles Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă”Ă“ĂŒĂ™ĂŁĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂšĂ“ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ÞÙ Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͸Ϳ ͚Ϳ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ

Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? à ÙÞĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ăž ÑÙËÖÕĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ?ĂœË› Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂŽĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸ Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ÚÙĂ?ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ͺ͝ Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÒÙ×Ă?Ě‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ë› ÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ Ă’Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă“Ă™Ăœ Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ë› Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ÍťÍ¸Ě‹Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚΀ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™Ăž Ă™Ă’Ăœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ÍşÍťĚ‹Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ÒÙÓĂ?Ăž Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă‹Ă‘ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžË› Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă&#x; Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÑÙËÖ ĂžĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹Ă–ĂœĂŁ åÓÞÒ ĂšĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ ÑÙËÖÕĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ?ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă Ă“ĂŽ ĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ëœ åÒÙ× Ă’Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă‹Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ÙÖÎĂ?Ă˜ ÖÙà Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ͚Ϳ Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă–Ë› Kunle Adewale ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?

D

ele Ajiboye was listed in the Super Eagles' 30-man provisional list. Those following his trajectory from the U17 level thought his time to show himself at the big stage had finally arrived. Alas, it was not to be as his name was dropped when the list was pruned to 25 players.

Ajiboye, however, nurses no ill-feelings against anybody but rather thanked God for the opportunity given to him by the coaching crew to be invited to fight for a place in the team. “I believe at God’s appointed time, I’ll be in post for Nigeria. I never believed I’ll be in camp with the team in the first place. Moreover, the other goalkeepers have been there before me and it was not easy to displace them. All I need to do now is to improve on some of the things that were identified as grey areas in my goalkeeping and by the time I return, I’ll be returning a better goalkeeper,� the Plateau United goalkeeper said.

Ajiboye disagrees with the notion that Deportivo de La Corona of Spain goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho got the nod ahead of him because of his height advantage, saying, “At 1.8metres, I’m not a short goalkeeper; goalkeeping is about experience and good positioning rather than height. After all, former Mexico goalkeeper, Jorge Campos, was not a tall person and was a great goalkeeper. I have been in constant touch with the team’s goalkeeper trainer, Alloy Agwu, and he told me I should continue with my training schedule and that I have a very bright future with the national team. I believe strongly that Uzoho would perform well in Russia.�

He said further: “The coach had to pick 23 players from a list of 30 and some people had to be dropped. Unfortunately, I was one of those that won’t be in Russia. I must admit it was painful but there will always be another World Cup. The most important thing is to keep working hard and hope for a brighter future.�

Asked to give an insight into the Super Eagles camp,

Ajiboye reacted thus: “From what I witnessed in camp before I was dropped, everything was okay with the team in terms of support from the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the excellent coaching the players are exposed to. There was perfect unity and everybody was working together to achieve one goal-a good outing at the World Cup in Russia.�

Against the insinuation in some quarters that Nigeria would not qualify from the group stages of the World Cup, Ajiboye is strongly tipping the team for a semifinal place in Russia. “There is a great bond in the team, no rancor amongst players and the issue of winning bonuses that usually rock Nigerian teams in major competitions are not with this present team. And these are the things that would drive the team to go far,� he said.

He also has kind words for Gernot Rohr; saying he is a very good manager both tactically and managerially.

On how he feels that David de Gea whose direction was not looked at all while Ajiboye was voted the best goal-

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JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER FRENCH OPEN

Stephens Stands between Halep and First Grand Slam Title

W

orld number one Simona Halep has another chance to finally land her first Grand Slam title after beating Garbine Muguruza in the French Open semi-finals and she faces Sloane Stephens in today's final after the US Open champion beat Madison Keys 6-4 6-4.

Halep has lost three previous Grand Slam finals, including two at Roland Garros in 2014 and 2017.

Si

'One of my best matches on clay' The Romanian arrived in Paris as the top seed and the leading player on the WTA Tour this year, hoping this would be the moment she finally lands her first major.

Ajiboye

She further proved her credentials with a dominant, yet gutsy, win over 2016 champion Muguruza, who failed to hold serve in the first set.

"I think I played one of my best matches on clay," Halep said. "Every day I play better and that makes me happy."

One thing Halep will not want to dwell on is the fact she has won only one of her past eight finals - including a defeat by Jelena Ostapenko in last year's Roland Garros showpiece.

Halep also lost to five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova in 2014, while she was also beaten in this year's Australian Open final by Caroline Wozniacki.

"I have more experience now," she said. "I feel calm. I feel that I have to enjoy this victory because it's a great match.

"And I have two more days until I will play the final. So I will relax and then we will see what is going to happen Saturday. But for sure, I will fight for every ball."

keeper at the FIFA U17 World Cup in South Korea would be manning the post for Spain in Russia while he failed to make the team for Nigeria, he said, “I not only feel bad that he would be at the World Cup and I won’t be there. But it’s a setback for me each time I watch him keep for Manchester United in the Premier League every week. I always pray to God that I should one day get to that level too.”

Ajiboye emerged as one of Nigeria's African Nations Championship heroes in Morocco. In Nigeria's semi-final victory over Sudan, the goalkeeper had a bigger impact in determining the result of the game with a string of impressive saves.

His form in that high-profile clash earned him invitation into the Super Eagles. The

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

Plateau United man had to patiently bid his time as backup to first-choice and captain Ikechukwu Ezenwa at the CHAN. When called upon in the early minutes of the physical semi-final clash against the Falcons after Ezenwa got injured, Ajiboye earned double his match bonus and caught the eye of Rohr.

Sudan coach Zdravko Logarusic was particularly impressed by the stopper's display.

"Ajiboye started well and, for me, he is the Man of The Match. He is the one who gave Nigeria the final slot. When they needed help at the back, he was the man who saved them," Logarusic told journalists after the match.

The journey to the top for the 2007 FIFA U17 World Cup winner hasn't been as direct and smooth as he would have projected 11 years ago after helping Nigeria to their third title.

Like most African goalkeepers, he struggled to earn a move to Europe, and when he eventually did sign for Pontevedra CF in the lower division of Spain, Ajiboye was soon back in Nigeria after two years playing professionally abroad.

He soon settled back into the domestic top-flight league, playing for a number of clubs including Shooting Stars, Nasarawa United and Warri Wolves.

However, success had largely evaded him before he joined Plateau United at the start of last season.

The decision to move to Jos proved to be a masterstroke for the talented goalkeeper as he won the NPFL title last term, reminding observers of the qualities which made him a standout talent during his time with Nigeria's youth teams.

Muguruza undone by 'lightning' start Halep spent an hour longer on court than Muguruza in their respective quarter-finals on Wednesday, needing three sets to beat German 12th seed Angelique Kerber.

By contrast, Muguruza breezed past Sharapova in a ruthless victory, but any thoughts those differing levels of energy burned would hinder Halep and motivate Muguruza were swiftly dismissed.

Wimbledon champion Muguruza, considered the slight favourite by many, handed her serve over in the first game with a double fault on break point and Halep raced 5-0 ahead in the opening set.

Halep lost focus to allow Muguruza

to claw back one break, only to break again herself to seal the first set in 36 minutes.

"She started playing very well immediately and I wasn't able to reach the level that she was playing at. It was just lightning," said Muguruza.

The 24-year-old improved in the early stages of the second set, holding serve for the first time and backing it up with a break on her way to a 3-1 lead.

That became 4-2 before Halep broke back for 4-4 and then held serve in a 14-minute game which went to a seventh deuce and saw Muguruza blow three break points.

It was a gutsy hold which proved pivotal in the match and - if Halep goes on to win the final - in her career.

Halep broke to love as Muguruza wilted in the next game, sealing her third final appearance at Roland Garros and ensuring she will stay as world number one after the tournament.

"I think it was the most important game of the match," Halep said on the penultimate game.

"The fact that I could win that long game, I won the next one easy, so it was a little bit of a mental part in the last game. I just didn't give up."

Stephens wins all-American battle In a re-run of last year's US Open final, Stephens once again got the better of her fellow American Madison Keys in two sets.

Tenth seed Stephens broke in the third game to gain an early grip on the first set, eventually serving it out and sealing it when Keys netted a forehand.

The second set followed a similar pattern as Keys lost her first service game, although there was brief hope for the 13th seed when she broke for the first time when Stephens was serving for the match at 5-2.

But ultimately she paid the price of 41 unforced errors as Stephens served out the match at the second time of asking, sealing victory with a backhand down the line.

It was the first time two American women had reached the last four at Roland Garros since 2002, when Serena Williams beat sister Venus in the final.

"It's always hard playing someone from your country and your friend. I was pleased to get through that and play some good tennis," Stephens, 25, said.

This is one of my favourite tournaments. I've got another great opportunity on Saturday and I'm really looking forward to it."

Stephens, Halep seeking French Open title glory

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2018 World Cup Countdown‌ 2018 World Cup Countdown‌ 2018 World Cup Countdown‌ 2018 World Cup Countdown‌ 2018 World Cup Countdown‌

Nigeria Jersey Voted as Fans’ Number One Favourite

N

igeria Super Eagles jersey to the 2018 World Cup has been adjudged to be the most seek for by fans all over the globe.

According to a poll carried out by Spanish respected newspaperMarca English and Spanish sites sent the West Africans, fans have been queueing for hours to get their hands on the Super Eagles kit.

France joined Nigeria on the podium with Croatia third on the English poll, with Spanish fans opting for the Spanish shirt on the Spanish website.

Germany's, Iceland's and Mexico's shirts also did well across the votes but fans were turned off by Serbia's effort, which fared poorly in both Marca polls.

It would be recalled that hundreds of Nigerian football fans queued outside Nike’s flagship store on Oxford Street in London, United Kingdom, as they tried to get their hands on Nigeria’s ‘snazzy’ new official World Cup jersey.

The Super Eagles kit reportedly sold out within minutes online after it finally went on sale, as over three million pre-orders were made before England and Nigeria’s friendly at Wembley Stadium. Both home and away kits among others, cost £65.

There has been huge buzz around the kit ahead of the World Cup in Russia, with the home shirt’s zig zag design and retro look leading to it being hailed the tournament’s best.

Nike UK said last Friday that the kit sold out almost immediately online, with limited availability likely in stores and apparently no plans to restock the collection.

Fans in front of Nike OďŹƒce for Super Eagles jersey

Injury Knocks Lanzini Out of Argentina Team

W

est Ham and Argentina midfielder Manuel Lanzini has been ruled out of the World Cup after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in training.

The 25-year-old, who has made

four appearances for Argentina, suffered the injury in training on Friday morning and is expected to miss the entirety of the upcoming tournament in Russia.

Argentina were originally due to face Israel in their final warm-up match in

Jerusalem on Saturday.

Two-time winners Argentina take on Iceland in their opening World Cup game on June 16, before they face on Croatia and Nigeria in their remaining Group D fixtures.

Pope Welcomes England Goalkeepers' Friendly

N

ick Pope welcomed the friendly rivalry among the goalkeepers in England’s World Cup squad after he made his debut in the 2-0 friendly win over Costa Rica on Thursday night.

The Burnley stopper came off the bench at Elland Road to earn his first international cap.

Everton's Jordan Pickford and Stoke goalkeeper Jake Butland are expected to battle it out for a starting place in England's opening World Cup Group G match against Tunisia on June 18 but Pope was

happy he had the opportunity to impress Gareth Southgate.

"When you come off the bench as a goalkeeper, for the boys in front [on the pitch] it is important you show confidence, so I was pleased," Pope told Sky Sports News.

"I had a heads-up that I would play some part so it was nice to prepare myself mentally and get ready to go.

"That [goalkeeper rivalry] helps push us all to be better and that's the way it should be. That's what's best for the England national team and us as individuals.

"It's great to have that rivalry between us and the competition that there is."

England's victory in Leeds followed Saturday's 2-1 win over Nigeria but perhaps more importantly, Southgate's squad appear to have avoided picking up any injuries as they prepare to fly to Russia. "We've had a positive three weeks in camp in our preparations and I don't think we could have had it any "Injuries are nasty and can crop at any time so to get through the two games and have nothing is a great sign."

Hazard Hopes Belgium’ll be Dierent to England's Golden Generation

E

den Hazard hopes Belgium do not suffer the same fate as England and waste the potential of their own 'Golden Generation'.

Belgium head to the World Cup third in the latest FIFA rankings, with a squad that boasts the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Jan Vertonghen in addition to Hazard.

The Three Lions face Belgium in

their final Group G game in Kaliningrad on June 28 and Hazard is hoping the Red Devils go on to claim silverware unlike England teams of the past.

"We know what we are. We are good players, we all play in the big games in England, in Italy and in Spain," he said.

"10 years or 15 years ago, you had this 'Golden Generation' in England but you won nothing. Now I think the fans, journalists, all of Belgium, the country just wants to win something.

"We have a 'Golden Generation' we just want to win something now.

Can we be different to England?

Maybe, maybe, we will see."

Belgium comfortably defeated Egypt 3-0 on Wednesday and will now face Costa Rica in their final warm-up match on Monday night.

Roberto Martinez's side will then open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 18 before facing Tunisia and England.

World Cup Facts ËžThe World Cup in 2018 will mark the ďŹ rst time Russia has ever hosted this event.

˞The 2018 World Cup will be Russia’s 11th World

Cup appearance. Their highest ever ďŹ nish was 4th place in 1966. Ëž3.2 billion people (almost half of the world’s population) tuned in to watch the 2014 World Cup. ËžThe World Cup has been played 20 times, Brazil holds the most titles with ďŹ ve. Italy and Germany are close behind with four each. ËžFor the ďŹ rst time in the history of soccer, the 2002 World Cup was held in two dierent countries: South Korea and Japan. ËžThe oldest goal scorer in the World Cup was Roger Milla, who was 42 in 1994 when he scored a goal for Cameroon against Russia. ËžIt is rumored that India withdrew from the 1950 tournament as they were not allowed to play barefoot. ËžOne of the venues for the 2018 World Cup, Fisht Stadium in Sochi, is the same stadium that hosted the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2014 Winter Games. ËžThe ďŹ rst World Cup was played in 1930. Uruguay was both the tournament host and winner that year. ËžThe World Cup trophy went missing for 7 days in 1966, when it was stolen just prior to the tournament. ËžThe distance between the easternmost host city (Ekaterinburg) and the westernmost host city (Kaliningrad) at the 2018 World Cup is over 1500 miles. For comparison, that’s about the same distance as Moscow to London, England. ËžThe average attendance per game at the 2014 World Cup was over 53,000 fans! ËžThe highest scoring game in World Cup history was in 1954, when Austria defeated Switzerland 7-5. ËžThe Italians have had the most number of draws in World Cup history with 21. ËžOf all countries that have appeared in the World Cup, Indonesia has played the least number of matches – just one in 1938. ËžMexico has the most World Cup losses (25), though they do also have 14 wins and 14 draws. ËžWhile 32 teams will qualify for the 2018 tournament, the number will jump to 48 in 2026. ËžThe most goals ever scored by one player in a World Cup match is an impressive ďŹ ve, by Oleg Salenko of Russia.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

Chairman of the Lagos State Spots Commission (LSSC), Dr Kweku Tandoh presenting the dummy check of N20m to CHAN Eagles goal keeper, Dele Ajiboye at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos...recently

Nadal...eyes on 11th French Open Title

with KUNLE ADEWALE 08111813082

L-R: Brand / Marketing Director, StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede; First Winner of N1,000,000 StarTimes World Cup Promo, Mr. Tony Fakuade and Content Marketing Manager, StarTimes Mrs. Abosede Adewara during a cheque presentation to the winner in Lagos recently

FRENCH OPEN

Nadal Inches Closer to 11th Roland Garros Title World No 1, Rafael Nadal takes another step closer to an 11th French Open title and 17th at the majors by setting up final with Dominic Thiem on Sunday Nadal extinguished the threat of Juan Martin del Potro to canter into another French Open final, where he will be seeking a record-extending 11th title.

The 6-4 6-1 6-2 victory saw Nadal become just the second male player in the Open era to reach 11 finals at the same Grand Slam tournament, equalling Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon.

Nadal has now won 24 of his 27 Grand Slam semi-finals as he swept aside the threat of the Argentine in clinical fashion to set up a meeting with Dominic Thiem - the only man to have beaten him on the dirt in 2018 - in Sunday's final.

"It was a very difficult first set and Juan Martin had lots of opportunities.

He was a little unfortunate," said Nadal who reeled off 14 of the last 17

games, having seen Del Potro fail to convert any of his seven break points.

"It's impossible without hard work and going through tough moments.

You have to be focused and keep your passion for the game. I never dreamed in 2005 when I played my first final here that I would be in another one."

Del Potro seemed to hurt his left hip during the third game of the match after getting wrong-footed and called the tournament doctor with Nadal leading 3-2.

However, he quickly recovered and looked to have the ascendancy, but the Argentine let six break-point chances slip and Nadal pounced with a solitary break in the 10th game which was enough to allow him to seal the set after 54 minutes of high-octane action.

The dominant Spaniard, who has never failed to win the title when reaching the last four at Roland Garros, rampaged his way through the next, building a 5-0 lead, before Del Potro raised his arms in celebration

after managing a hold to avoid the dreaded bagel.

Nadal was not in a charitable frame of mind, though, as he cantered through his next service game with new balls to edge closer to another final.

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, appeared to be running on empty at the start of the third set and it was no surprise when the 32-yearold top seed switched gears again to make an early breakthrough.

A sumptuous cross-court backhand winner by Nadal handed him a double-break in the fifth game and it wasn't long after before he closed out proceedings in two hours and 14 minutes to take his place in Sunday's showpiece against Thiem, who he enjoys a 6-3 head-to-head record against.

"Thiem is an amazing player.

He beat me in Madrid, he has big power so I have to be at my best and improve," added Nadal. "But I believe I will be ready for the final."

Halep: No Pressure to Claim First Grand Slam World No 1 Simona Halep claims she is under no pressure as she goes in search of an elusive first Grand Slam title at the French Open today.

Halep has come up short in two French Open finals in 2014 and 2016 as well as at this year's Australian Open.

Now she has another chance to break her duck when she takes on American 10th seed Sloane Stephens in the final at Roland Garros.

"I don't know who said that I feel pressure. Not me, obviously. I don't feel pressure," said the 26-year-old Romanian.

"I feel that it's a big challenge

for me. It's a big chance to win my dream tournament.

"But this doesn't mean it's going to happen or something like that.

It's a normal match I play against these opponents.

"So we will see what is going to happen, but I just want to be smiling on court."

Stephens has had to battle back from a foot operation which left her unable to walk for four months.

The 25-year-old's ranking slumped to 957th after an 11-month absence and a first-round defeat at Wimbledon last year, but she bounced back in stunning fashion by winning the US Open against her close friend Madison Keys - the

same player Stephens beat in the semi-finals at Roland Garros on Thursday. "After not playing for 11 months, I've had some great results," said the American, who has a perfect 6-0 record in finals.

"Obviously a lot of hard work went into it, a lot of adversity, a lot of ups and downs. A lot of emotion, wondering am I ever going to be the same? Am I ever going to play good again at a high enough level?

Am I a protected ranking?

"I think now I've matured a little bit and have recognised the opportunities when they have been presented.

"The most important thing is that I have taken those opportunities."

KwesĂŠ Inks Deal with BON for World Cup Broadcast KwesĂŠ and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) have signed a Free-to-air TV Rights Sub-licence agreement to provide the widest coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia on terrestrial television in Nigeria. The agreement will see over 80 terrestrial television stations broadcast the FIFA World Cup to an estimated 100 million Nigerian viewers.

General Manager, KwesĂŠ Free Sports Nigeria, Chichi Nwoko said: “By tuning to KwesĂŠ Free Sports UHF 32 in Lagos, or any of the BON network stations, football fans will enjoy 32 of the 64 FIFA World Cup matches live,

including all Super Eagles and African teams’ matches, as well as select matches from the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final stages. “KwesĂŠ Free Sports’ goal is to ensure that every Nigerian has the opportunity to enjoy the FIFA World Cup whether on television or radio, wherever they are in Nigeriaâ€?, she added.

KwesĂŠ Free Sports will provide the feed to BON member television stations across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

BON is delighted to announce that it will broadcast the World MD-CEO of MRS, Andrew Gbodume (left) presenting the trophy to the captain of Right Football Academy, Ibrahim Rilwan Cup to all viewers, Momoh (right) winners of 2018 MRS Kids boys category said.

NFF Grateful to Ambode for Redeeming N20m Pledge to CHAN Eagles The Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) has expressed its gratitude to the Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, for fulfilling his N20 million pledge to the Super Eagles B team for finishing as runners-up during the last Championship of African Nation (CHAN) in Morocco early this year.

The NFF, which was represented by its First Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, who is also the Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association, described Ambode as an amiable Governor, who had done a lot for sports in his state and Nigeria.

He stated that he was with the team in Morocco when the governor made the promise and expressed happiness that he had fulfilled the pledge. “We at the NFF are extremely happy that the governor has made good his promise,� he said.

He thanked the governor on behalf of the NFF and urged others to emulate his kind gesture.

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium fulfilled a pledge of N20 million to the Super Eagles B team that finished second at the Championship of African Nation (CHAN) in Morocco early this year.

The Eagles lost 4-0 to Morocco in the finals but were deemed to have done enough to deserve N20million largesse from Lagos State.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of his teammates, Ajiboye said the governor’s kind gesture would spur the players to do better in future. “I must commend Governor Ambode for the love he has shown to the team, though I am not surprised that he has redeemed his pledge because he is a sports-loving governor who is doing a lot to motivate athletes,� Ajiboye said.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Lagos State Spots Commission (LSSC), Dr Kweku Tandoh, who presented the cheque on behalf of the Governor, commended the Eagles for finishing second in Morocco despite the odds.

Tandoh stated that the gesture was to appreciate the players for their good run at the tournament and also encourage them to do better in future. “In line with Governor Ambode’s disposition, he made a pledge to the team in Morocco and he is finally releasing the money to the team through the LSSC,� Tandoh noted.

Woods Partners World's Top Two in US Open Tiger Woods has been grouped with the top two players in the world rankings for the first two rounds of his return to the US Open next week.

Woods will play alongside Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson for 36 holes at Shinnecock Hills, while six-time runner-up Phil Mickelson will begin his latest quest to complete a career grand slam of majors with former winners Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.

Thomas became world No 1 for the first time last month when a strong finish to The Players Championship ended the 64-week reign of Johnson, who can reclaim top spot with a big The American rivals will head to the first tee at 6:47pm (BST) on Thursday along with Woods, who has not played in the second major of the year since he suffered a humiliating early exit at Chambers Bay three years ago.

Woods did not manage to break 80 on the first day and followed with a 76 to finish way down the field on 16 over - his worst 36-hole score in his major career.

The year's US Open also marks the 10th anniversary of Woods' 14th, and most recent, major victory, when he memorably played through the pain to edge out Rocco Mediate in a Monday play-off, which was also the last time the tournament required extra holes.

McIlroy missed out on completing a full set of majors following a disappointing final round at the Masters in April, and he will partner the two players next in line to have a chance to achieve the grand slam.

Mickelson will hope to atone for his series of near misses in the tournament, including the last time it was played at Shinnecock Hills in 2004, while Spieth is missing only the PGA Championship, currently held by his close-friend Thomas.

Brooks Koepka, an impressive four-shot winner at Erin Hills last year, will begin the defence of his title alongside two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and former world No 1 Jason Day. Koepka, Watson and Day tee off the first at 12:40pm, while the next group out features the all-English trio of Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett and Ian Poulter.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž Î Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

EVENTS

The remains of the late Matriarch of the Alily Family, Mrs. Regina Queen Ahunna Alily (Nee Iroha) was laid to rest recently at Eziala Lorji, Aboh Mbaise, Imo State.

Here are some of the faces present

Brig. Gen. Felix Alily (rtd) and wife, Dr. Theresa Alily

L-R: Brig. Gen Tunde Songonuga (rtd), Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade (rtd), Balogun of Akure; the deceased son, Navy Captain George Alily (rtd) and Rear Admiral Francis Akpan (rtd).

Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Prof BA Okorie, at the extreme right

Daughters of the deceased, Efua and Angela Alily

Generals Ihejirika, Nwanguma and Ugwu

Sitting: Barrs. Dele and Esther Ogun; Standing; Chizzy Alily and Barr. Obi Anyanwu

L-R: Rear Admiral Patrick Agholor, former Commandant of the National War College, and Maj General Jack Ogunewe

L-R: Chief Magistrate Okwuchi Okoroji, Barr. Angela Alim, Barr. Ezinwa Okoroafor, Barr. Chizzy Alily, Daughter-in-law of the deceased, Barr. Solo Osita Mbamalu and Prof Abiola Sanni

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž JUNE 9, 2018

EVENTS

M

argaret Nwosu, the daughter of the founder of Indepedent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Sir Sunny Nwosu got married to her hearthrob Peter Owie, the son of Senator Roland Owie, Senator of the Fourth Republic from Edo South constituency. The marriage solemnisation took place recently at St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja. The reception follows thereafter at Classiq Event Centre, Oregun, Ikeja where guests and well wishers were entertained. Here are the faces of personalities that graced the occasion. Photographs by Sunday Adigun Couple Peter Owie his wife Margaret

Sir. and Lady Sunny Nwosu (Brides Parents)

Groom Parents: Senator Roland Owie and his wife, Helen

Chief Pascal Dozie, Chief Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide and wife, Mary

Mr. and Mrs. U K Eke

L-R: Mrs. Tobi Odunaya, Mr. Sam Amuka and Mrs. Merit Ofulue

L-R: Chief Clement Olowokande and Dr. and Mrs. Owie Joe

L-R: Dr. Faruk Umar, Abiola Laseinde and Bukunola Olateru

L-R: Mr. Chris OshiaďŹ and his wife, Lola and Emmanuel Ijewere

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FAIRGROUND

TILX: Ibejii Dazzles at Maiden Concert

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

T

TheAfricanArtistsFoundation, Victoria Island Lagos, was filled to capacity, recently, as retro-contemporary afro music artist, Ibejii, dazzled the audience at his maiden headline concert, ‘The Ibejii Live Experience’ (TILX).

The concert, which was infused with cocktails created from the big bold flavours of premium scotch Johnnie Walker, brought together lovers of alternative music from across the diverse demography of Lagos society, in a serene atmosphere, where they were regaled by tunes that fused the old and the contemporary, delivered live by the crooning, mysterious and enigmatic lover man, Ibejii.

From his ensemble, to his music and style of delivery, concertgoers couldn’t get enough of the artist who, in only two years in the Nigerian music industry, has already distinguished his craft.

To add further to an already packed and extraordinary experience, renowned singer and composer, Brymo, made a surprise appearance in support of TILX. Ibejii and the ‘Ara’ crooner dazzled the audience as they jointly performed ‘Alaigboran’, a retro-track off Ibejii’s maiden album, GreenWhiteDope001.

Brymo’s show at TILX was presumably return favour for Ibejii’s stellar performance at Brymo’s own jaw-dropping concert at Terra Kulture Lagos last December, where a then freshly unveiled Ibejii held the huge concert audience spellbound with his sterling performance as guest artiste.

Guests at TILX were also serenaded by the exceptional performances of alternative music artistes, ‘Dwin the Stoic, Celeste Ojatula and the hugely talented performer, Aduke.

Slim & Chika, the dance artistes, warmed up the evening with their highly choreographed dance repertoire.

The Ibejii Live Experience is a festival to celebrate those who, like Ibejii, choose to indulge in music that is pure and true, and slightly different from the mainstream. #TILX will be an annual event, holding each year on Democracy Day.

Ibejii

Celeste Ojatula

Aduke

Aduke

Dwin the Stoic

Brymo and Ibejii

PR Hotshot, Bidemi Zakariyau , Listed on Forbes Africa It’s been an incredible two months for Bidemi Zakariyau, Founder of LSF|PR. Last month her agencywasawardedaSABREcertificateofexcellence for their “Philips Through Your Life Campaign� for Philips. The campaign created and executed by the agency was used across Africa by Philips last year.

The SABRE Awards - with a 25-year heritage recognizes campaigns that demonstrate the highest levels of strategic planning, creativity and business results. The awards cover the entire global public relations business and is the worlds biggest and most prestigious awards programme in the PR world.

In a statement issued by Zakariyau, she said: “We are very pleased to be recognised for our work, this goes to show the the quality of work we deliver is of global standards considering the fact that I started this company with a legal background and no previous experience in PR. In our five years of operation, we have achieved a lot in terms of diversifying our client

portfolio to many sectors, it is very encouraging for my team and myself, we will continue to work hard to ensure that we serve our clients by delivering results that moves their businesses forward.�

Zakariyau’sagencyboastsoflocalandinternational brands in different sectors including corporate, consumer, Oil and Gas services, financial Services and technology.

On June 1 Zakariyau was listed on the prestigious ForbesAfrica 30 under 30 list in the business category.

The 2018 Forbes Africa Under 30 list is the most definitive list of Africa’s most promising young change-makers. This year is Forbes Magazines fourth edition of the list and for the first time is inspired by the growing number of young men and women entrepreneurs, who are game changers in their industry.

Zakariyau has previously been recognised for her work in leading one of the fastest growing PR

agencies in Nigeria.

In2017,ShewasawardedtheprestigiousLaPRIGA (Lagos PR Industry Gala and Awards) Rising PR Practitioner by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. Her selection was based on her boldness and courage to lead a specialised public relations consultancy at a young age, which is not only thriving but inspiring more young female practitioners to join the practice.

In 2016, she was awarded The Future Awards Africa Prize for media enterprise and in 2015 she was recognisedasoneoftheleadingfemaleentrepreneurs under 25 by SME100. She is a member of the Nigerian BarAssociationandacertifiedmemberoftheNigerian Institute of Public Relations. Two years ago at the age of 27, she was appointed to join the board of RĂŠle, a leading art company in Nigeria which includes art galleries, an art consultancy offering advisory and art inventory services.

Zakariyau

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

FAIRGROUND

Shina Peller, CEO of Quilox Night Club Joins Oyo Race

C

hairman of Aquilla Group, Chief Shina Peller has officially declared his intention to contest in the 2019 general election under the flagship of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In a statement released by the serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, he disclosed that after reflection and extensive consultations he has come out formally to declare his intention to represent the Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, Iwajowa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives come 2019.

The statement said: “My people, after a deep thought, reflection and extensive consultations, I have decided to formally declare my intention to represent the Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, Iwajowa federal constituency at the House of Representatives in 2019.

I appreciate the advice and concern from well-wishers and mentors who are worried that going into politics will be detri-

mental to my business interests which I have worked so hard to build over the last two decades, but I think the time for social media and arm chair politics is over. We need to take our destiny into our own hands for the sake of Nigeria, for the sake of our children, and the less privileged in our society. “My focus in politics will be to ensure that institutions work and people can benefit from government services irrespective of class or social status. “I want to help create policies that will help diversify our economy with a renewed focus on tourism, manufacturing and youth empowerment. “I encourage all young people to follow my cue and take an active role in partisan politics.

This is our time. The time is now.

ShinaAyo2019�

Recall that Shina Peller, in times past, has actively been involved in grassroot development, rural capacity development, humanitarian services, and philanthropy, especially in his constituency. Shina Peller

The Ghost and the Tout Becomes Best Selling Movie of 2018

T

oyin Abraham’s latest work, The Ghost and The Tout, a show of the actress creative genius, has grossed millions in the first three weeks of its release, making it the highest selling movie of 2018, beating every other Nollywood heavyweight that came out in the course of the year.

After many positive reviews, hype, frenzy and different sell out times, The Ghost and The Tout has definitely extended its prowess in the box office, making Toyin Abraham a true Box Office queen. She joined Mo Abudu and Omoni Oboli on the box office queens table.

Speaking about attaining such tremendous feat, the actress said, “Trust me, it’s God and hard work, ever since the release of this movie, I’ve worked

tirelessly and relentlessly, going for meet and greets just to make sure people appreciate and enjoy the movie as well, and lest I forget, I cannot but thank my fans for seeing and helping me through this journey. They have been extremely wonderful and I sincerely appreciate them.�

When asked if she has other projects in the works, the actress replied in the affirmative, adding that she has a movie collaboration with Samuel Olatunji’s Bigsam Media Production titled Seven and a Half Date and it will be released on August 3, this year.

The new collaboration, Seven and a Half Date is a star studded production with names like Jim Iyke, Mercy Johnson, Sola Sobowale, Ken Erics, Frank Donga, Ali Nuhu, Bayray Mcwinzu and Toyin Abraham herself.

Toyin Abraham

Mrs. Ambode Committed to Children in Lagos

B

est of Nollywood, BON, Children’s Day Book Reading 2018, the well hyped event designed specifically to celebrate children held recently at the Creative Children School, Gbagada.

The school pupils had a ball, and were treated to roller coaster ride of experience, as they had fun and educative moments with their favourite television stars, and highly placed personalities in the corridor of power, in Lagos State.

In her keynote address, Mrs. Oyindamola Ogunsanwo standing in for the First Lady of Lagos State, reiterated the commitment of the Ambode administration to seeing the Lagos child have a healthy growth, both mentally and in stature. “Children are very dear to this administration. We are committed to giving children a thriving and permissive environment to

grow well and learn properly as they grow. “Parents should be more committed to protecting their children from these monsters in the society who try to take advantage of the innocence of children. “This book reading initiative is very laudable, because reading culture has become extinct in children and adults alike. “We therefore encourage parents to ensure children read more, and the right things too. In addition, teachers should ensure that children pronounce words correctly too.�

Honourable Wasiu Sanni-Eshinlokun said the legislative arm of government in Lagos State was doing all to protect, adequately, children from the monster of sexual abuse rearing its ugly head in the society.

Author of the book, ‘No! Don’t Touch Me There’, Pastor Nomthi

Odukoya, during her address, highlighted that the book was inspired by the holy spirit to educate children on the need to understand that their bodies belong to them, and no other person has a right to touch them in places that they’re not comfortable with no matter how close or related they are.

Nollywood stars, Gbenga Adeyinka, Belinda Effiah, and Adeniyi Johnson took turns to inspire and thrill the kids by reading pages of the book, ‘No! Don’t Touch Me There’.

Proprietors of the school, Mr. and Mrs. Ademola Oloketuyi were elated and full of appreciation to the Lagos State government and organisers of Best Of Nollywood Awards, for deeming their school worthy of such an august visitation and event.

The book reading was sponsored by, Indomie, Cowbell, Pepsodent and Guarantee Trust Bank.

Mrs Ambode

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î , 2018

TEENS CONNECT

the magazine for teenagers

with NKECHI IBENEME (08142358958) teensconnectmag@gmail.com

From left: Brand Manager, PZ Cussons, Anaekwe Aishat; 2nd runner-up, Iwuala Chibuzor; Winner, Tadese Fatai, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Adekanye Adebunmi; 1st runner-up, Adegoke Oluwapelumi; Human Resources Director, PZ Cussons, Joyce Folake Coker; Chairman, Advisory Board, PZCCC, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo and Director, Science and Tech Dept. Lagos State Ministry of Education, Ibiyeye Adebayo

Behold, Titans of 2018 PZ-Cussons Chemistry Challenge The 2018 edition of the biggest pure science competition in Nigeria – the PZCussons Chemistry Challenge – may have come and gone but its echo lingers on.

The ďŹ nals of the ďŹ fth edition of the Chemistry Competition for senior secondary school students in Lagos State, which is sponsored by PZ-Cussons and supported by family brands, Premier Soap and Nunu Milk, held last Saturday.

The top six students that locked horns at the ďŹ nals emerged through rigorous elimination stages. At the ďŹ rst stage which was a written exercise, 3,000 students competed and 97 were shortlisted to compete in the second stage. Afterwards, 24 progressed to the third stage which was a practical exam in one of the best laboratories in Lagos State and from there, six ďŹ nalists emerged.

The top six then slugged it out in a quiz competition in front of a live audience on June 2 for the ultimate prize. The six ďŹ nalists were Tadese Fatai of Abibat Mogaji Millenium Senior Secondary School; Adegoke Oluwapelumi of Newhall International

School; Ikulayo Israel Tosin of BrainďŹ eld College; Ihejeamatu Anthony of Festac Senior Grammar School; Onuoha Munachimso of Whitesands Academy; and Iwuala Chibuzor Augustine of Abibat Mogaji Millenium Senior Secondary School.

In a related development, teachers of Chemistry in various secondary schools in Lagos were put to the test. Out of the over 500 teachers that competed in the online test, six were shortlisted to slug it out at a quiz competition to determine the ultimate winner.

The PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge was instituted by the ďŹ rm to stimulate and inspire the learning of Chemistry among secondary school students. Traditionally, in every competition, there will always be a winner, but at this year’s edition of the contest, everybody was a winner as the company gave out consolation prizes to all ďŹ nalists.

However, some people stood out among the lot.

Behold the Champion, Tadese Fatai!

In spite of the pangs of hunger and weariness from the Ramadan fast, Tadese Fatai remained alert and refused to bow to the pressure within. The 15-year-old remained gallant and competitive throughout the period of the intellectual bout and eventually clinched the ultimate prize as the overall winner of the 2018 PZ-Cussons Chemistry Challenge. After he was announced the champion, Fatai had to endure additional hours of media interviews. His gaunt face lit with smile and pride as he fielded questions from journalists. For his position, Fatai took home a gold medal and a cash award of N1 million. His teacher, Mr. Odusanya Tolulope Joseph, whose other student came third, took home N250,000 while his school, Abibat Mogaji Millenium Senior Secondary School, Agege, got a desktop computer and laboratory equipment.

How do you feel winning today’s contest?

I feel very great and grateful to God. From the outset, did you imagine you would win?

No, I did not imagine I would win. I only worked hard and prayed that God should help me.

What was the warm-up like?

I worked really hard with my teacher coaching me. I even studied overnight and prayed really hard for God to help me. My parents also prayed fervently to God on my behalf.

Who is your mentor in Chemistry?

My mentor is my Chemistry teacher – Mr. Odusanya Tolulope Joseph.

What course do you intend to study?

I want to study Medicine and Surgery.

Do you plan to apply for scholarship to study outside the country?

Yes. I have such plans.

Which country would you love to go for your studies?

I would love to study in Russia because it is a very peaceful country and it is a good place to study the course that I intend to

study.

Why do you think many students are afraid of Chemistry?

I think it is largely due to perception.

Many students believe Chemistry is difficult but it is not. If you take Chemistry as a friend it will become easy for you. Again, if the students see the teacher as being wicked, they automatically lose interest in the subject.

What is your best subject?

My best subject is Mathematics.

Why haven’t you been to the Cowbellpedia Mathematics contest?

I did enter the competition – unfortunately, I did not qualify.

Who is your role model?

My parents are my role models.

What do you say to PZ the sponsors of the Chemistry contest?

I say a very big thank you to PZ for this opportunity to students in Lagos State. I pray they continue to do this and that God

should bless.

Which of the stages was the toughest for you?

My toughest stage was the practical.

I couldn’t believe I could scale through that stage until word got to me that I had qualified.

What are you going to do with your prize money?

Sincerely, I don’t have any plans for the money. I will have to discuss that with my parents.

How do you relax?

I watch discovery science on TV. I neither dance nor play games.

What do you say to teenagers who spend their time on the social media and watching TV? They should cut that down and create more time for reading and learning so that they can become great in life. You waste valuable time when you stay in front of the TV all day.

Fatai

THE BIG SIX

From left: Onuoha Munachimso of Whitesands Academy(6th), Ihejeamatu Anthony of Festac Senior Grammar School(5th), Ikulayo Israel Tosin of BrainďŹ eld College(4th), Tadese Fatai of Abibat Mogaji Millenium Snr. Sec. Sch(winner), Iwuala Chibuzor Augustine of Abibat Mogaji Millenium Snr. Sec Sch(3rd), and Adegoke Oluwapelumi M. of Newhall International School(2nd).

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JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

Coming a close second to Fatai is 13-year-old Adegoke Oluwapelumi Moyinoluwa of New Hall International Secondary School Lekki. For his position, Moyinoluwa took home a silver medal and cash reward of N750, 000. His teacher got N150,000 while his school got a desktop computer and some laboratory equipment How do you feel being the first runnerup?

I thank God, though I had expected to win.

What gave you such confidence?

God and hard work. I prayed to God to help me win and I really worked hard.

Which was your most difficult stage in the contest?

My most difficult stage in the contest was the first stage. After that, I was cool.

Which is your best subject?

My best subject is Further Maths.

Why then have you not participated in the Cowbellpedia Mathematics contest?

I participated in the Cowbellpedia Mathematics contest. But, I didn’t go far.

What course do you want to study?

Computer Engineering.

Which is your country of choice for studies?

I would love to study in the United States of America.

What will you do with your prize money?

I will keep it in a bank where I can earn substantial interest on it.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are solving mathematical problems and programming.

What was the warm-up to the contest like?

It was quite taxing. I underwent very taxing training sessions on weekdays and took home loads of past questions to practise with during the weekends. I even had to stay awake on several nights to study. It was indeed tedious.

Chibuzor

Fifteen-year-old Iwuala Chibuzor also of Abibat Mogaji Memorial Secondary School, Agege, came from sixth after the third stage to clinch the third position at the finals. He also made a mark when he challenged the quiz master over an answer that was erroneously scored against him and it turned out he was correct. For his position, Chibuzor took home a bronze medal and cash reward of N500,000. His teacher, Mr. Odusanya Tolulope Joseph, went home with N100,000 while his school received desktop computer and laboratory equipment How do you feel about your win?

I am the happiest person for being among the top three today.

You challenged the quiz master over an answer. What gave you such confidence?

Aside from the fact that I was very sure of the answer that I gave, it is the usual practice in my school to stand by and defend what we know. Our teacher encourages us to challenge him whenever we think otherwise about his views and when we do we all discuss it and arrive at the right answer.

What are you going to do with your prize money?

Actually, I will get some text books I need

for my schooling, especially for my university and keep the rest so that when I need anything else during my university education I will buy it with the money.

What course would you like to study?

I intend to study Organic Chemistry.

What school do you like to attend?

I will like to attend the University of Lagos.

Are you not thinking of a foreign scholarship?

I am thinking of that also. I will like to study at Cambridge or Oxford. But if those fail, I will be proud to attend UNILAG.

Pelumi

A girl is yet to win the PZ Chemistry Challenge. But the Managing Director of the company was magnanimous enough to institute an award for the last girl standing. The MD’s award for the last girl standing for this year went to 16-year-old Mercy Nwachukwu of Penny International Secondary School, who finished eighth and took home a cash prize of N50,000 How do you feel being the last girl standing?

I feel very excited. I feel happy. But, at the same time, I do not feel fulfilled; because I had expected to win. However, I am grateful to God, my parents, my teacher – Mr. Henry – most especially to God. Which stage was the toughest for you?

The toughest stage for me was the practical stage. It was at that stage that I dropped.

Why do you think no girl has ever won this contest?

I can’t tell actually because I prepared hard enough and summoned all the courage and determination to create a record by being the first girl to win the contest. So, one can’t say it’s due to lack hard work, courage and determination that no girl has won it.

What words do you have for other girls?

It’s high time a girl won this. Girls should be more determined. It’s not as if the boys have more intellect than us. We can do this.

I am hoping that a girl from my school will win it because we are already preparing for it.

I am hoping one of them will win it next year and make a change for good.

What is your best subject?

Chemistry is my best subject and I enjoy reading it. As my teacher would say, ‘What’s in this world other than Chemistry?’

What course do you want to study and in what country?

I would love to study Medicine and Surgery –that would be in America.

Who is your mentor?

My mentor is my teacher – Mr. Henry.

Mr. Nnani Odinibe John of Topgrade Secondary School, Surulere, emerged the winner of the teachers’ Chemistry Challenge for the second year running. The Chemistry teacher extraordinaire beat over 500 other Chemistry teachers who entered for the competition to emerge the ultimate champion. From that number that sat an aptitude test online, six were shortlisted for the quiz in which John re-established his superiority and mastery of the subject by clinching the first prize as he did in 2017. Odinibe has not only proved to be a Chemistry icon but also produced worthy protégés. At the inception of the PZ Chemistry Challenge for senior secondary schools in 2013, he produced the third runnerup and in 2016 his student, Anthony Ekene Ike-Okoro, emerged the winner Which secondary school did you attend?

Jubilee Model Grammar School, Coker village, Orile Iganmu, Lagos.

What was your best subject in school?

Chemistry was my best subject.

Mercy

Who are your role models?

My role models are my mother and my Chemistry teacher.

What are your hobbies?

I love reading Chemistry text books and playing chess and scrabble. I watch music once in a while and I listen to music but I can’t really dance.

Who are your favourite Nigerian music artistes?

Sinach and Ada. What are you going to do with your prize money?

Since my teacher did not get any money, I will give him some of it and give the rest to my dad.

Were you the best Chemistry student back in school?

No, I wasn’t. But I was one of the best.

or document – so I started teaching which I can do without external interference.

If you were not teaching, what would you be doing?

I would love to work in a bank or a federal parastatal.

Are you married?

No.

What was your WAEC grade in Chemistry?

I had a B2.

What year was that?

I wrote WAEC in 2001.

Which university did you attend and what course did you study?

I attended the University of Ibadan and I studied Microbiology.

Why did you choose teaching over other jobs?

After seeking for job for a while I found some opportunities but the conditions attached to the offer were against my principle –I don’t give bribe and won’t falsify my age

Best teacher, John

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ฮ ห อบอธอนฮ หพ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri MKO Abiola Deserves to Be Honoured, Not Exploited

O

f course, by now you must have heard or read that President Muhammadu Buhari has declared June 12 as the new Democracy Day when the nation’s democracy will be celebrated every year. He has also honoured the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief Moshood KO Abiola, a posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR).

Ordinarily, this would be a good thing, but the antecedent of the President and the timing of his gesture leave room for doubt. Such an act, coming eight months to the 2019 elections, suggests that the President is playing on the sentiments of some Nigerians and selling them a dummy. How do I mean?

Well, let us look at the facts and only the facts.

Last week, Nigeria celebrated nineteen years of uninterrupted democracy. But Nigeria, as an independent nation is 57 (58 this year). So, why are we not celebrating 57 years of uninterrupted democracy, as a country like Kenya or Tanzania will soon celebrate?

The simple answer is that democracy was twice interrupted by Nigeria, otherwise this year, we would have either celebrated 58 years of uninterrupted democracy or 39 years. The fact that democracy is not so old in Nigeria is because of two men - Nzeogwu/Ifeajuna, who interrupted democracy in 1966 and Muhammadu Buhari, who interrupted it in 1983.

If then Major General Muhammadu Buhari had not toppled President Shagari, June 12 would never have happened and Abiola May still be alive and could have still become President through democratic means. It was the military that Buhari brought into power that annulled June 12 and jailed Abiola till he died. Last week, instead of celebrating 19 years of democracy, it could have been 39 if Buhari did not topple Shagari!

By attempting to gain political capital from declaring June 12 Democracy Day, what President Buhari is doing is attempting to profit from his own criminality of toppling a democratically elected government and arresting the democratic and economic growth of Nigeria. Think where we would have been had Buhari not overthrown President Shagari and installed a military junta whose medicine was worse than the cure.

But, it is not surprising. A man who gave dead people political appointments will definitely have no qualms in exploiting a dead man whose life he never added value to. But whose death he wants to extract value from! While Abiola was in Abacha’s prison, Buhari was in Abacha’s parlour enjoying

But, it is not surprising. A man who gave dead people political appointments will definitely have no qualms in exploiting a dead man whose life he never added value to. But whose death he wants to extract value from! While Abiola was in Abacha’s prison, Buhari was in Abacha’s parlour enjoying and preparing for Abacha’s selfsuccession! Only two weeks ago our President revealed to us that Sani Abacha was his mentor. The man he most admires amongst Nigeria’s former rulers and most likes to be like. One week he praises Abiola’s jailer, Abacha, the next week, he shows his hypocrisy by remembering Abiola

Buhari

Abiola

and preparing for Abacha’s self-succession!

Only two weeks ago our President revealed to us that Sani Abacha was his mentor. The man he most admires amongst Nigeria’s former rulers and most likes to be like. One week he praises Abiola’s jailer, Abacha, the next week, he shows his hypocrisy by remembering Abiola.

Nigerians seem to forget that Buhari only accepted to serve in Abacha’s government AFTER Abacha jailed Abiola. That shows acquiescence to what Abacha did. Do we have such short memories to forget that several persons in Abacha’s administration resigned the minute he threw Abiola in jail, such as Ibru and Onagoruwa?

Not only did Buhari still serve Abacha after he jailed Abiola, he continued to serve Abacha even after Kudirat was murdered! He continued to serve him after Rewane was murdered. He even continued to serve him in death by saying ‘Abacha never stole’. I have never come across a man so desperate for power and yet he does not know what to do with it!

When Abiola was alive, you offered him no help whatsoever. You wined and dined with his tormentor. You watched as he destroyed Abiola’s business.

You continue to celebrate Abacha in death and exploit Abiola in death. How can you ‘honour’ a man whose life you dishonoured? You have forgotten when you were praising Abacha as the next-best thing after sliced bread. Now Abiola is your best thing because of elections. We were born at night, not last night! We will not forget your Sai Abacha in 1998.

Buhari only ‘accepted’ to honour Abiola just BEFORE the 2019 elections for one reason and one reason only, he thinks the Southwest is gullible. To the Yoruba, I urge you to do what Bola Ige said in 1998-‘take their money but vote for who you want’.

The summary of the matter is that President Buhari is a joke; he is desperate for the Southwest vote. Now that the election is months away, he pulls this stunt. He forgets that the Yoruba are sophisticated voters!

Even the statement declaring June 12 as Democracy Day betrays President Buhari’s intellectual deficiency and proves he is surrounded by inept aides.

The Executive Order that he signed states as follows: “The first time this (military handing over power to a democratically elected President) happened was on October 21st, 1979.”

Even a primary school student knows that the first time the military voluntarily handed over power to a democratically elected civilian President was on October 1st, 1979 not on October 21st, 1979.

How can a President with eight media aides and

4 speechwriters not know what a primary school pupil would know? This is what you get when you elect a man with certificates of dubious origins and location! In 2019, we need a President who is educated enough to spot such a simple error!

Here is a President who claimed Nigerian youths are lazy, yet he does not know what a Nigerian youth would know. I bet you that if you go to the nearest secondary school to you and ask them when the military first handed over power to civilians, they would give a correct answer. Yet Buhari and his eight media aides can’t!

President Buhari complained that Nigeria youths are lazy and illiterate, but how can he blame them?

The President is himself the problem. How can Buhari inspire youths to go to school when he can’t even produce his school certificate?

A barefooted man cannot advertise shoes! And as for Osinbajo who said four years is not enough to deliver on the promises he and his boss made, I can only say that when an office is too big for you, you complain that four years is too small. A bad workman blames his tools. How long has Donald Trump been in office? Yet see all he has accomplished. Even 100 years is not enough for a clueless government.

But then again, even if you cannot fulfil all your promises in four years, at least you should be able to fulfil some of them. How can you be in office for three years and yet you can’t boast of one project that you have initiated, started and completed in three years! Really?

And that is why nobody in the Buhari administration is willing to take the #BuhariChallenge.

The only way the Buhari administration can take or even win the #BuhariChallenge and name one project that Buhari has initiated, started and completed in the last three years is if they include lying as a sport in the Olympics. If they do, Lai Mohammed and Garba Shehu will win gold and silver for Nigeria! Other than that, I don’t see any reasonable possibility that this administration can take the Buhari Challenge.

And One Last Thing:

In his last interview before he died, Justice Mustapha Akanbi asked President Buhari and the EFCC to investigate those listed in my Looters’ List. The best way to honour Justice Akanbi should not be an empty statement from an empty President. It should be by honouring his last known request.

Reno’s Nuggets

Being focused on the past makes you waste your life fast. Always look forward to the future because that is where opportunity lives. There is no o in yesterday, but there are three os in tomorrow representing three opportunities!

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JUNE 9, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

FASHION FILE Call Me By Your Name Collection by

Maxivive

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Call Me By Your Name

T

he Mavivive Group Of Fashion Brands (MGFB) first Cruise collective collection, was birth from the same titled book and latterly adapted movie “call me by your name” which was staged iin n the 80’s northern Italy with a very ssummer u and vacation aesthetic. This gives a nod to the tradiccollection ol tional safari trips in Africa with its tio subtle color pallets, loose silhouette sub and sparkling elements in shades of an Gold, Silver and multi colors and in Go forms of textures through manual for studding, threadings and sequins. stu ““Call me by your name “ featured; a Maxivive Capsule, Brillant, self titled Ma Mxvv Capsule with a second season Mx collaboration with T-shirt brand, col 26.8.77 and a Capsule collection to 26 launch BÓYC (Bó young creatives), lau a ccrystal ball of underground culture through young creatives with the thr #WEBOYC themed movement. #W This cruise showcase, staged at A T

White Space Creative Agency had its set decorated by Papa Oyeyemi with various notably foreign fruits like Apple, pear, plum, grapes etc building a fruit shelf runway background, photo-booth mix fruit bar, trays of fruits filtering the room as lay offs, fruits dispatch on all seats and an invitation with a zip locked note and fruits summed up the experience.

The models walked down in three shows, opening with a single shot, less art but focus on the clothing, walking to a custom Cruise self titled song written and performed by Shola Devon and Produced by Jynio, then followed by performances by the models in groups of one, twos and threes, proclaiming love, Romeo and Juliet type of love, self love, polyamory, polyandry and equalsex-same-sex love affairs, with LOVE is LOVE as a ticket to cruise to Paula Moore’s Valparaiso. The final walk featured the models, the collaborators and some MGFB staffs that helped

putting the show together and of course the main man himself, Papa Oyeyemi grabbing an apple at the end of the runway while jamming to Pet Shop Boys’ Go West to wrap up the show.

Papa Oyeyemi FOUNDER || CREATIVE Papa Oyeyemi designed a capsule of three looks for the Launch of Bo Young Creatives (BOYC), a crystal ball of underground creatives through young creatives with the hashtag # WEBOYC. The collection was inspired by a 2017 film written by James Ivory, based on the 2007 novel of the same name

by Andre Aciman, ‘’Call Me by Your Name’’, staged in Northern Italy in the early Photography: by Kosol Onwudinjor

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... ͸΀͚ͽͽ͚͚͝΀Ϳ͟

Senior Manager, Technology and Advisory, PWC , Mr. Bayo Adewolu; Chairman, 21stCentury Technologies Ltd, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu; Chairman, Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,Eric Janneau and Senior Manager, VMWare, Babatunde Abagun during the signing of a partnership deal between 21st Century Technologies and Schneider Electric to build Tier 4 Data centers in Lagos ...recently

L-R: 1st Vice President, Association of Telecommunication Companes of Nigeria, ATCON, Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani; Executive Vice Chairman , NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; ATCON President, Mr. Olusola Teniola and Director, Public Aairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo during ATCON courtesy visit to NCC in Abuja...recently

21st Century, Schneider Disrupt Technology, Announce Tier 4 Data Centre In a move that will yield to the everchanging business model and advancement in technology, Nigeria’s information technology power house, 21st Century Technologies, has entered into strategic partnership with Schneider Electric to launch the first-ever Tier 4 data centre in Nigeria.

The innovation being the first also in Africa is a major boost to the country’s technology profile which would further draw huge investment to the country.

A tier 4 data centre is reputed to be fault-tolerant, allows for the occurrence of any unplanned activity while maintaining operations with a facility that guarantees absence of failure. 21st Century Technologies is bringing onboard an innovation that experiences just 26.3 minutes of downtime per year, a giant improvement over tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 digital centres that experience 28.8, 22 and 1.6 hours downtime per year respectively.

The partnership deal was consummated at a business luncheon themed, ‘Technology and Business Efficiency’ hosted by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking on this stride, Chief Executive Officer of 21st Century Technology, Wale Ajisebutu, explained that the resolve of the company to build five tier 4 digital centres across strategic locations in Lagos State was to ensure that each business district in the state had access to data centre that would further drive commercial operations.

According to him, the centres which were sited at Apapa, Maryland, Ikeja, Surulere and Lekki would become fully operational before the end of the year to serve different sectors of the economy including SMEs. Ajisebutu, who noted that available data centres in the country were not enough when compared to technology evolution paving the way for big data and advanced solutions, stressed that the firm was partnering with a world-class company to build a world-class infrastructure.

He said, “Our aim at 21st Century is to revolutionalise ICT practice in Nigeria and this is why we are bringing this innovation for the benefits of every one at a cheaper rate. Our facilities boast of latest sophisticated equipment, applications, security infrastructure, etc. at a convenient price.

Customers are at liberty to pay for service as they consume and also make payments in local currency.�

He also dwelt on the need for the country and indeed business entities to tighten their noose security-wise as cybercrime would continue to threaten business existence.

Affirming Ajisebutu’s submission, Director, Sales and Marketing, 21st century Technology, Assan Cham, maintained that the more digitalised and connected the economy, the more important it was to

secure the cyberspace.

According to the Nigerian Information Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria suffered about 2,175 cyberattacks in 2015; about 14% of 97m internet users in Nigeria suffered attacks, which necessitated the setting up of the Cyber Security Committee. “During the past year, 21st Century Technologies under the leadership of Mr.

Ajisebutu Wale, has continued to invest in infrastructure and bring forth solutions to market that will support local and international companies in Nigeria to mitigate and prevent such cyberattacks with Schneider electric which is a member of the Franco-Nigerian chambers of commerce and industry to build Tier IV data centre in Lagos.

Schneider Electric shall provide the

World Remit, First Bank Boost Digital Money Transfer in Nigeria Digital money transfer service provider, World Remit, has restated commitment to strengthen online money transfer in Nigeria as it announced strategic partnership with First Bank of Nigeria, FBN, to simplify transfer process in the country.

This is coming as the International Finance Corporation, IFC, has announced Nigeria’s poor-performance in the area of financial inclusion and mobile money services compared to the progress of other subSaharan Africa countries.

IFC in a report titled, ‘Digital Access: The Future of Financial Inclusion in Africa’ had disclosed that the number of financially excluded people in Nigeria increased by 2.1 per cent in 2017 to 40.1 million, a development which its linked to modest growth in mobile money.

The latest deal between the World Remit and First Bank would deepen mobile money service and financial inclusion in the country while also giving access to customers of the online money operator in over 50 countries to send money instantly to 14 million FBN accounts directly from their phones.

Speaking on the deal that further supports the provider’s plan to get 10 million customers connected to emerging markets by 2020, Regional Head of Middle East & Africa at World Remit, Andrew Stewart, stated that Nigeria had yet to fully harness the potential of digital financial inclusion whereas other Africa countries relied more on mobile money service than bank account.

He added that this trend would impact negatively on economic growth and development.

He said that the firm was determined to revolutionalise money transfer and cause more people to embrace digital process of remittance in Nigeria - being its largest market in Africa and second globally, hence its partnership with First bank and subsequently, eight other banks before the end of the year.

Stewart said; “We are delighted to have partnered with FBN to give its 14 million customers access to our best in class money transfer experience. Nigeria remains our largest and fastest-growing market in Africa and second-biggest market globally. This is a

key partnership in Nigeria that would further support her transition from offline remittances to online, safer, faster and lower-cost money transfer agent.�

Reacting to World Bank report which states that Sub-Saharan Africa remained the most expensive region to send remittances to, with an average cost of 9.4 per cent for sending $200, the firm’s Global Head, PR and Media Relations, Lucas Germans, stated that the platform was working to reverse this trend, being technology-friendly that does not charge a fixed rate for remittance unlike conventional operators. “Our model of operations being virtual has simplified money transfer process that you do not have to go through the burden of the conventional process. We don’t have a fixed pricing like the physical operators, hence reduced charges of transaction. We also plan exploring other African countries including, South Africa, Rwanda, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. The platform is safe, affordable and convenient, “ he stated.

Group Head of Products and Marketing Support at First Bank, Abiodun Famuyiwa, added, “We are indeed excited to be working with World Remit in delivering swift digital remittances to its customers in Nigeria. This partnership is one of the numerous ways the bank would continue to put customers first by leading the industry in the use of technology to provide safe, convenient and fast banking solutions.�

With a diaspora of over 15 million people living in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, remittances play an increasingly important role in Nigeria’s economy. The World Bank estimates that in 2017 alone, Nigeria received over $22 billion in remittances, making it the largest recipient in Africa.

EcoStruxure ITTM solutions for all the centres and this according to the company’s General Manager Mr. Balaji Lenka offers cost-saving opportunities and innovative solutions. “We have indeed remained committed to the development of innovative and costeffective energy solutions. This partnership is a testimony and we will definitely deliver,� he said.

Ruff ‘n’ Tumble Launches Listen2me2 Campaign To strengthen its commitment towards inspiring children and teenagers, premium clothing brand, Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, has released a video to launch its #Listen2me2 campaign.

Released on Children’s Day, the video was in line with the brand’s desire to advocate for kids, as well as start a conversation online and offline on the importance of listening to kids and giving them room to voice their opinions and ideas without being restricted by their parents and guardians.

Speaking on this initiative, Chief Responsibility Officer of the firm, Adenike Ogunlesi expressed that children are precious gift, hence, they should be given limitless opportunities to enable them fulfilled their purpose. “There’s so much noise in the world today. It’s very easy for children to get confused when no one is guiding and nurturing their growth, especially their values and mindset. With so many confusing messages, parents/guardians need to actively engage children through everyday activities that ensure there is great communication between both parties. Despite our cultural norms that very often shut children down, we need to develop a new culture that listens and encourages engagement with today’s child. “Listening to children becomes important considering the recent increase in suicide rates among kids and teens. Findings by Time Health show that most of the children who died by suicide in recent times had attention problems. Another study by the School of Information at University of Michigan shows that while children have opinions or feelings they would like to share with their parents and guardians, they often feel their parents would either disregard their opinions or not understand them�.

Child Advocate, Ronke Adeniyi added, “Parents and guardians need to find a way to listen to their children and be able to understand and handle whatever they tell them. As the world continues to change, children now have more access to information that has the capacity to influence them.�

Ruff & Tumble implores everyone to join the conversation by following the hashtag #Listen2me2 in order to raise awareness on the need to give children a voice and help them develop themselves.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͷ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY JUNE 9, 2018

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

NEWSXTRA/INSIGHT Again, N’Assembly Says PIGB Transmitted to Buhari as Host Communities Kick r Clark warns Niger Delta youths getting restive over underdevelopment The National Assembly on Friday said it had finally transmitted the final harmonised copy of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, making it the second time it has claimed to do so in about one month even though the presidency denied receiving the bill at the first occasion.

This is as Leaders of oil and gas producing communities

in Delta State have vowed to resist any attempt by the National Assembly to further enslave and impoverish host communities in the controversial provisions in the Petroleum Host and Impacted Communities Development Bill, warning that implementing them would plunge host communities into crises.

Also, Elder statesman and National Leader of led Pan

Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) Chief Edwin Clark yesterday raised the alarm that youths of the Niger Delta were becoming restless over continued flagrant deprivation and neglect of the region by the Federal Government.

Both Hon. Victor Nwokolo, who is the Chairman, Petroleum Upstream of the House of Representatives and Hon. Akinlaja Joseph, who is the Chairman, Petroleum

Committee Downstream in the House told journalists in Abuja that President Buhari would have received the bill by now.

The harmonised PIGB was passed by both Chambers - Senate and House, in March 2018, and reportedly transmitted to Buhari.

However the presidency through Mr. Ita Enang, a presidential parliamentary aide, debunked claims the

Duke: Nigeria Growing Population A time Bomb if...

Bassey Inyang in Calabar A former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, has warned that Nigeria’s growing population was a potential time bomb that was waiting to explode.

According to Duke, the increasing population of the country would, in future, either serve as a curse or blessing to the nation depending on the use to which the nation is put.

Relying on available statistics, Duke said Nigeria’s population was growing at a geometrical rate, and could increase from the current projection of 190 million to 400 million in the next 50 years.

Duke made the observation while delivering a lecture to participants at a pre-retirement seminar for assistant directors,

deputy directors and directors of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) staged by the Chief Executive Officer of African Theme Consults Limited.

At the event which ended yesterday at Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, Cross River State, the former governor said the current level of unemployment in the country could not be isolated from an increasing population where majority of the youths were idle and unemployed.

He warned that except Nigeria and Nigerians become productive; the country’s population could become its albatross.

“Our nation today is going through a very difficult phase and we are not getting richer but poorer considering our large

population and the activities of Boko Haram and kidnappings, which are now for economic interest.

“Our biggest problem in Nigeria is unemployment. In 30 years, Nigeria will be the third most populated nation on earth. If we don’t change the trajectory of the country, we have a problem at hand.

The beauty of Nigeria is the numbers, but the numbers become a problem if the numbers are not productive. The only way to enjoy the population is by being productive. “The only way you can enjoy your money is to be productive because the government will not protect you. That 85 per cent of Nigerians today are not working and are depending on the 15 per cent that are working, and with this kind

of scenario, we do not have disposable income in Nigeria,” Duke said.

The former governor who is credited to have promoted tourism as a means of revenue generation for the state advised the participants to be careful with their retirement benefits so make the proper investment decisions, and also not to be duped by fraudsters who are always looking for retirees to dupe.

“Beware of sugar-coated tongues and anything that sounds so good. Be careful as the more attractive a deal is, the more skeptical you should be as it does not matter if one stays for two to three years before he finally opts for what business to do because Nigeria is a very difficult environment to do business,” Duke said.

bill was with Buhari.

Reports subsequently emerged that it was not transmitted to the president by the Clerk to the National Assembly due to a legal advice received from the National Assembly Legal Services Directorate, which observed some grey areas in the versions passed by the two chambers.

Nwokolo who doubles as Deputy Chairman of the Adhoc Committee on the PIB however said: “Everything has been cleared, it should be at the president’s table today bearing in mind that we are going on break today.

“It has gone through all the processes and the issue raised by the legal department has been properly taken care of. So, there is no hindrance anymore. All that is left is for the assent of Mr. President,” he added. The lawmakers spoke on the sidelines of the Rotary District 9125 9th District Conference.

“We have finished everything about the PIGB. It should be on its way to the president,” Akinalaja, in his remarks said, adding that the three remaining aspect of the omnibus Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) from which the PIGB was created would be passed before the end of the current eight Assembly.

“After the recess, we will bring back the bills to plenary on both chambers and then there will be concurrence and

it will be passed,” he said.

The PIGB is one part of the PIB that had been split into four, it will when assented to by Buhari, seek to rebirth the governance framework of Nigeria’s petroleum industry which experts say was archaic and unfit for the progress of the industry.

The position of the leaders of the oil producing areas is contained in an open letter by Gbaramatu-EgbemaOgulagha Coastal Communities Front (GEOCCF) to Senate President, dated 4th June, 2018, and signed by Hon. George U. Timinimi (MIoD, MCIArb), President, Chief Bright Abilo, Fredrick Igere, Shandors Tortor, Philemon Ugedi, Chief Freason Dose, Ekio Youpele.

They insisted that the Petroleum Host Communities Fund should be maintained at 10 per cent monthly profit of oil companies as was initially proposed and totally rejected the paltry 2.5 per cent proposal and enormous powers and functions given to oil companies under the instant bill.

“Any attempt to use the instrument of legislation to alter the present structures would result in instability in operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited and other oil companies. The oil companies have no business in determining the emergence of community representatives who manage the host and impacted communities fund.

Between a Citizen’s Rights and a Legislator’s Privileges Abdullahi Usman

W

ikipedia defines a privilege as “a certain entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. These can be revoked in certain circumstances.

In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth. By contrast, a right is an inherent, irrevocable entitlement held by all citizens or all human beings from the moment of birth”.

On its own part, Dictionary.com defines privilege, amongst others, as a prerogative, and it refers to “a special advantage or right possessed by an individual or group. A privilege is a right or advantage gained by birth, social position, effort, or concession. It can have either legal or personal sanction: the privilege of paying half fare; the privilege of calling whenever one wishes. Prerogative refers to an exclusive right claimed and granted, often officially or legally, on the basis of social status, heritage, sex, etc.”

It also, amongst others, describes it as “an advantage or source of pleasure granted to a person”.

Rights, as a noun, on the other hand, is “that which is due to anyone by just claim, legal guarantees, moral principles, etc” The above preamble becomes very necessary on account of the growing penchant by our elected legislators, especially those among them that occupy the hallowed Red Chamber, to shout themselves hoarse by pleading abuse of their privileges, in response to any legitimate inquiry, or questions being asked of them, regarding certain conduct on the part of one or more of them, or the entire group, as a collective.

This range from situations involving the normal police investigations into certain criminal activities in which the names of some of their members may have featured prominently, or those pertaining to some very peculiar, but well known illegal activities that some of them may have been engaged in, in the course of the normal discharge of their constitutionally assigned responsibilities.

A case in point is the recent uproar generated in both the red and green chambers, in response to two major revelations or disclosures that happened in the course of the past one week or thereabouts. One of such is the disclosure by a former Minister of Finance in a recently published book titled, “Fighting Corruption is Dangerous “, that a certain curious concession of a whopping N17b had to be traded by the previous government in favour of the 7th NASS, in order to facilitate the smooth passage of the 2015 budget.

In another startling revelation made at the recently organised 2018 Democracy Day Lecture that took place at the International Conference Centre, the NASS was also openly accused of extorting huge sums of money from heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), via their respective Committee heads, for the sole purpose of facilitating the passage of their respective budgets. This is in addition to the huge salaries and allowances accruing to the legislators, which many people are still openly complaining about, and clamouring for their reduction.

Failure to comply on the part of the MDAs may result into significant delays in the passage of their budgets.

A case in point is the current situation in which the 8th NASS is openly being accused in some quarters of willingly sitting on the 2018 budget for more than 6 to 7 months now, and still counting, with many people rightly or wrongly attributing this rather unusual delay to the failure or outright refusal of the current government to play ball, in the same manner that the former Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy had outlined in her latest book above.

What I consider most baffling in all of this, is the fact that rather than taking these high profile accusations as a wake up call and an immediate call to action in order to check themselves, with a view to cleaning the augean stable and doing away with this kind of strange and questionable behaviour on the part of their membership, they often prefer to play the ostrich by hiding behind the safe confines of their hallowed chambers and screaming to the rooftops about a certain brand of unexplained abuse of their unique privileges as our elected representatives.

In most cases, the next step they usually take is that the people raising these queries often get summoned to the chambers essentially to be ridiculed, rather than addressing the main substance of the issues being raised by them.

This is by no means the most appropriate approach to adopt towards salvaging whatever is left of their collective integrity, and also calls to serious question the propriety of such an attitude, especially considering the rights of the citizens to effective representation, honesty and fair dealings by their elected representatives; a significant part of which involves the speedy and timely passage of annual budgets, in order to facilitate the smooth running of government and it’s programme.

Part of this fair dealing also includes the prompt, efficient and effective discharge of their assigned legislative funtions and responsibilities, without making additional pecuniary demands, over and above their legitimate earnings.

Which then takes us back to this very important question that needs to be promptly resolved: what is preeminent, between the rights of the citizens and the privileges of a legislator? In other words, which one transcends the other?

Parliamentary privileges should not be allowed to be sweeping or ubiquitous in nature, lest they become a very dangerous tool in the hands of our elected representatives, to be universally applied by them against us, as they deem fit.

As a learned Indian Professor of Law and Vice - Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hydrabad, Faizan Mustafa, rightly posited, we must all be worried by the existing state of affairs in which “our legislators (appear to) have the power to be the sole judges to decide what their privileges are, what constitutes their breach, and what punishment is to be awarded in case of breach”.

We must actively and collectively push for the urgent need to codify their privileges, while granting primacy to a citizen’s rights to free speech and other basic fundamental rights over legislative privileges, especially considering the fact that these legislators are essentially our servants, as our elected representatives.

––Abdullahi Usman wrtes from Abuja

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

U.S. Facilitates Drone Workshop for Nigerian Students, Women Bennett Oghifo United States Consulate General Lagos in collaboration with Baltimore-based Global Air Media, recently concluded a two-day drone technology workshop for students

and women STEM leaders.

According to a statement by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) U.S. Consulate General, Lagos, 30 elementary and high school students were coached on the basics of building a drone from the scratch, as well as

the requisite skills for piloting and landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

In addition to the students’ seminar, 13 female STEM leaders were mentored on the evolving technology needs of the 21st century,

APC: We Didn't Receive Court Injunctions on Imo Congresses OnyebuchiEzigboinAbuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it did not get any court injunction restraining it from conducting the last congresses held in Imo State.

While reacting to recent allegations by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha that the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun ‘disobeyed’ court orders regarding Congresses in Imo State and inauguration of the state’s Party executives, the party said it never got such injunction.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC said: "We wish to state that these allegations are spurious as the Party did not at any time receive any court injunctions regarding the Congresses in Imo".

The party urged the Imo State Governor to desist from making allegations that had no basis in facts.

"In conducting the Congresses across the country, in considering the outcomes of each one of them and in swearing in the respective State Chairmen, the National Working Committee (NWC) had strictly followed the guiding rules and the Constitution of the Party.

"There is always room for redress where justified, hence, we encourage the Imo State Governor to explore

internal dispute resolution mechanisms spelt out by our Constitution to address his perceived grievances.

particularly in the fields of real estate and construction, cinematography, as well as humanitarian and emergency response.

The training was held at the Cedar STEM & Entrepreneurship Hub, and American Corner at Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB), both in Yaba, Lagos on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

A team of three drone experts, led

by Global Air Media co-founder Eno Umoh, facilitated the series of workshops.

Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate Lagos, Ms. Darcy Zotter, explained that the hands-on workshop was designed to stimulate the interest of the participating students in math and science, as well as careers in the STEM fields.

Protesting Shi’ia Members in Abuja Burn US, Israeli Flags Protesting members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in Abuja yesterday burned the flags of the United States of America and Israel.

The group, which congregated at Berger roundabout said it was protesting the killings of the Muslim brotherhood in Palestine and the continuous detention of their spiritual leader Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky by the Department of State Service (DSS) since December 2015.

Some of the placards the protesters carried read: #FreeZazyzaky, #FreePalestine, 'Down To America’, ‘Free Palestine’ and 'Free Zakzaky’.

The protesters matched to Julius Berger roundabout, from the National Mosque shortly after the Juma't prayer, and were met by stern-looking policemen. The sect

members shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ as they danced round bonfire, disrupting human and vehicular movement, causing traffic congestion on the Wuse Market Road.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and NWOSU addressed as BABA IGBO O, now wish to be known and addressed NWOSU OBINNA as CHUKWUNONSO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLOWOLAGBA TEMITOPE PRINCESS now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEGBAMI TEMITOPE PRINCESS. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS QUEEN FAVOUR MICHAEL . now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. QUEEN & sKhZ : D ^Íł D :K. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as FOLUSO M. AKEREDOLU. now wish to be known and addressed as FOLUSO M. OLOWU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ERUEMUKOHWARIEW MOSES. now wish to be known and addressed as ADJARHO MOSES AKPOVETA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚͜

Oando Champions Waterway Clean Up

ENRICHING KNOWLEDGE...

L-R : Chairman, Organising Committee, Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) CMCO forum, Mr Abiona Babarinde; President, ADVAN, Mrs Folake Ani - Mumuney; and Mr Victor Banjo, Guest Speaker at the forum for Chief Marketing and Communications OďŹƒcers held at the Signatures, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos... recently

US: Why We Revoked Visas of Nigerians Travelling to America Nigerian travelers welcome in the US but must be law-abiding Bayo Akinloye Among the number of reasons the United States Government had revoked the visas of some Nigerians traveling to the US might have been because of overstaying the period of admission, applying for asylum in another country, and working without proper authorisation.

This was indicated in an email correspondence THISDAY had with the US Embassy in Nigeria during the week.

According to the American embassy’s spokesman, Russell Brooks, a visa already granted

to a Nigerian traveler can be revoked if there were reasons to do so. “With regard to our general policy, the Department of State does review visa issuances when information comes to light that results in a finding that the individual no longer qualifies for the visa and based on that information, the visa will be revoked. There are a number of reasons for a visa revocation including overstaying the period of admission, applying for asylum in another country, and working without proper authorisation. If a visa

is revoked, the US Mission will attempt to notify the individual but there is no obligation to inform the individual as to why the visa was revoked,�

Brooks said.

He, however, stated that individuals whose visas were revoked might re-apply if they desired to do so and their application would be considered again for eligibility to enter into the US. Though the embassy official refused to disclose the reasons some Nigerians’ US visas were revoked recently, he said Nigerian travelers with legitimate

reasons to travel and had not flouted the American laws on previous visits were always welcome to the country. “Visa decisions are based on individual qualifications and the cases are considered confidential.

Nigerian travelers are welcome in the United States. The fact that the consular sections in Lagos and Abuja are the busiest on the continent and rank among the busiest in the world speaks to the closeness of the relationship between our two countries and the fondness that Nigerians have for the United States.

Ekiti Guber: Group Raises the Wike, Lulu-Briggs Bag Peoples Alarm over Observers' Safety Club’s Awards of Excellence Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), an election monitoring and observer group, has raised the alarm over the safety of independent observers to be deployed to monitor the Ekiti State governorship election.

The group's Director, Contact and Mobilisation, Faith Nwadishi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, while reacting to allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describing the election observers as APC agents.

The group described the allegation as wild and malicious, but however urged security agencies to look critically into the threat issued by PDP to independent election observers who have been accredited to observe the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections.

Nwadishi stated: "There is no doubt that the PDP’s grand design is to scare away independent election observers. It is also plausible that the PDP and its current Governor of the State, Ayo Fayose, whose propensities for violence are well known, are working to provide a pretext to unleash violence as a means to manipulate the Ekiti Governorship elections which the Governor and

his party have already vowed to win by all means.

"We recall that it was also in Ekiti State in 2015 that the late Professor Momoh of the National Electoral Institute was viciously attacked and manhandled by PDP’s political thugs during the Governorship election that brought the current Governor to office.

"Our major concern however, is the new dimension to this PDP’s shenanigan- the explicit threat to the safety of independent election observers accredited by INEC to monitor the forth-coming Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections.

"While alleging plots by INEC to use ‘illegal observers to manipulate the electoral process, endorse irregularities, approve fictitious results and subvert the will of the electorate in favour of the APC’ the PDP in its incendiary statement further said it ‘wants INEC to note that the people of Ekiti and Osun Sates are already aware of the plots’ and that they ‘are ready to resist such’.

"The PDP further claims that Ekiti and Osun States ‘are immutable strongholds of the PDP’ and ‘that the citizens are politically sophisticated and will in no way hesitate to confront, with all energy available in a democracy, any attempt by anybody to sabotage the election."

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Peoples Club of Nigeria International has honoured Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and business mogul, High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs with awards of excellence.

Presenting the awards in Port Harcourt as part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of Port Harcourt branch of Peoples Club of Nigeria International, Chairman of the club, Ebere Owhonda, said stated that the club was a non-political association and that its awards were not for any political reasons but to promote diligence.

His words: “Peoples Club is an exclusive, elite social club of the most distinguished and eminent Nigerians who appreciate the good things of life. “Port Harcourt branch is a very innovative, unique and reformed branch of Peoples Club. We are non-profit, non-political and nonpartisan. Our mission is to offer our members comfortable environment where they will grow and prosper socially. Our affairs are devoid of occultism, politics, personal acrimony or animosity, ethnicity and racism.�

He said Wike was honoured with the Award of Excellence in

Good Leadership because of the numerous people-oriented projects he has executed in the state. “For the three years Governor Nyesom Wike has been in office as governor of Rivers State, we have seen an unprecedented number and quality of projects that we have not seen in any past administration in Rivers State. It is more remarkable that these projects are coming despite the harsh economic situation in the country. “The award is to encourage the governor to do more for the people of Rivers State for that is the legacy we expect from any leader at this point of our development,�

Owhonda said.

He also stated that Lulu-Briggs was honoured for his humanitarian services to the people through the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation especially the free eye care/medical outreach; Centre for Cardio/Parkinson Diseases and health facility he built at the University of Port Harcourt.

In his address, chairman of the occasion and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Hon. Onueze Okocha (SAN), said the Peoples Club had over the years maintained a dignity that most elite clubs in the country would find difficult to match.

In commemoration of the 2018 World Environment Day themed ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, Oando PLC championed a clean-up exercise of Cowrie Creek, Ozumba Mbadiwe water way. World Environment Day is an initiative by the United Nations (UN) to encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment. It is seen as the "people's day" set aside to do something to take care of the Earth.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Kayode Boladale, GM Operations Integrity, Oando Energy Resources said: “We have taken up the mantle to clean up the Cowrie Creek,OzumbaMbadiwe waterway in a bid to beat plastic pollution which is a menace in Lagos. Did you know that plastic accounts for 10% of all the waste we generate? Did you know we buy 1 million plastic bottles every minute? Did you know it takes up to 450 years for plastic to decompose?

With facts like these it is imperative that we start to rethink the way we use plastic for the good of the planet. We championed this initiative in order to set an example for others; individuals and companies to follow.�

With a population of over 170 million people, Nigeria produces more plastic waste than the infrastructure can manage. Lagos, a population

of 21 million inhabitants, produces upwards of 10,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste daily. Only 40% of the waste is properly disposed of, the remaining 60% litters the roads and waterways. In an interview on the current state of waste in the waterways, Damilola Famakinwa; Managing Director, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said, “Lagosians litter the waterways with empty plastic bottles, nylon and various kinds of filth. This is totally unacceptable by any standard. We even have organizations emptying their waste water and various chemical pollution in the waterways.�

Plastic is extremely durable and environmental experts have reported that, “every bit of plastic ever made still exists.� As plastic debris float in the seawater, it absorbs dangerous pollutants. These chemicals are highly toxic and have a wide range of chronic effects, including endocrine disruption and cancer-causing mutations.

When animals eat these pieces of plastic, the toxins are absorbed into their bodies and passed up the food chain, for example, when fishes and other marine species mistake the plastic items for food, they ingest the particles and pass these toxic chemicals through the food chain and ultimately to our dinner plates.

National Water Resources Bill not a New Law, Says Adamu Deji Elumoye inAbuja Following the transmission of the National Water Resources Bill by the Executive to the National Assembly for consideration, the Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu , has disclosed that the Bill “is not a new law; rather it an amalgamation of Water Resources Laws that have been in existence since 2004.

Adamu disclosed that the Bill was drafted in 2006 and passed through a series of consultations among stakeholders up to 2008, but received no priority attention by successive administrations He explained that the laws which include “Water resources laws that have been in existence since 2004, the Water Resources Act, the River Basin Development Authority Act, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency EstablishmentAct and the National Water Resources Institute Act 2004 are being re-enacted with necessary modifications in the new Bill to actualise current global trends and best practices in Integrated

Water Resources management The Overall objective according Adamu “is geared towards efficient management of the water resources sector for the economic development of the well-0being of its citizens Interestingly,� the Bill which was drafted in 2006 was passed by the House of Representatives November 30, 2017, passing through a series of consultations among stakeholders up to 2008, since which time it received no priority attention by successive administrations� said Adamu.

The Minister said “ the Bill provides for the creation of an enabling environment for public and private sector investment. The Bill also provides for capacity building processes to foster good governance whilst establishing a water use and licensing framework to ensure sustainable financing for water sector development from tariffs including creation of an enabling climate for increased private sector participation in service delivery under Public Private Partnership Management contracts�

Make NIN Mandatory for Asset Declaration, NIMC DG tells CCB The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has asked the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make the National Identification Number (NIN) a basic requirement for asset declaration in the country.

Director General/ CEO, NIMC, Mr. Aliyu Aziz, made the proposal at a one day Code of Conduct Sensitisation Workshop which held at the NIMC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, June, 6th, 2018.

According to him, it was vital for the two agencies to collaborate, and make the NIN a basic requirement for all public officers who come forward for asset declaration.

He noted that the NIN would allow the Code of Conduct Bureau tie all records of public officers together, and automate the process so that you can search for an individual and his assets with the unique NIN. Aziz said the intention of the

Commission was to work as an ecosystem with all data collecting agencies, save billions of tax payers’ money, and work towards the same goal of creating a unique National Identity Database in Nigeria.

He explained that the ecosystem would go a long way in eliminating duplication of efforts and responsibility, and enhance security especially in the area of information sharing. “We are currently working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) who have made the NIN mandatory for land allocation within the FCT; and this process allows them track assets and transactions.� He added.

Speaking further, the director general applauded the management of the Code of Conduct Bureau for the visit, and the effort to enlighten and sensitise public officers on the codes and ethics of work expected of public officers in Nigeria.

52

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î , 2018

POLITY

2019: Enugu NASS Caucus Endorses Ugwuanyi for a Second Term Deji Elumoye

T

he Enugu State Caucus in the National Assembly, has unanimously endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second term in office for his effective leadership and entrenchment of peace and good governance in the state.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, made this known at a colourful grand reception for Governor Ugwuanyi in Abuja, which was also attended by leaders across political divides, such as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Former Speaker,

Hon. Umar Ghali N’Abba; former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; and the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu.

Speaking on behalf of the federal lawmakers from Enugu State, Ekweremadu explained that the endorsement was predicated on the governor’s development strides and his leadership style characterised by justice, equity, and peace.

He said: “Governor Ugwuanyi has connected with the people of Enugu State in a very peculiar way. Today, communities have their Liaison Officers, and they execute projects. Everybody is part and parcel of

government. “Since 1999, we usually had crisis, troubles, and major misunderstandings any year preceding general elections. At times, we wondered if we would survive it. It happened in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and it happened in 2014. But today, we are in 2018, and Enugu has been adjudged the most peaceful state. “If you look around here, there are people from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu, and those from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). That is how we live in Enugu State. There is no

KWASU Produces 30 First Class, Honour Mbeki Hammed Shittu Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜

K

wara State University will issue first class certificates to 30 students in the sixth convocation ceremony of the University, taking place today.

Speaking at the pre-6th convocation press conference of the university held at Malete, the Vice Chancellor, Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, disclosed that the University would for the first time in the nine years of its establishment would also produce five PhD holders.

Professor Na’Allah added that the University was graduating 1,126 students this year, while out of this number, 522 students would graduate with second class upper degree, 583 with second class degree lower division and 60 graduated with third- class degree.

The Vice Chancellor noted that the institution had been strengthened with the introduction of more academic programmes that would have direct impact on the

students and the society, stating that all the courses had also been approved by the National Universities Commission.

He also said that the university would, for the first time, confer doctorate honorary degree on three distinguished Africans for their contributions to humanity and services to the African continent.

The honourees, according to him, are former President of South Africa, Mr. Tambo Mbeki, the founder of Guarantee Trust Bank, Mr. Tajudeen Fola Adeola and a popular Ilorin poet and Dadakuada singer, Alhaji Jaiyigbade Alao.

While speaking on the choice of the three honourees, Professor Na’Allah said Mr. Mbeki who took over from Nelson Mandela as South African President contributed immensely to the growth of African nation, especially in reshaping and transforming of the Organisation of African Union (OAU) to African Union (AU), saying that he would be conferred with honorary doctorate degree in Political Science.

He added that the founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Tajudeen Fola Adeola was chosen as an entrepreneur and for its investment in the banking sector, especially in the establishment of GTB in 1999 and for helping the country finetune Nigeria Pension Scheme, adding that he would be conferred with honorary doctorate degree in Entrepreneurship.

Professor Na’Allah explained that the King Artist and Dadakuada singer, Alhaji Jayigbade Alao would be conferred with honorary doctorate degree in Literature for his contributions to poetry development, describing him as one of the best African poets.

On the University Radio and Television Stations, Professor Na’Allah disclosed that the University had procured all the necessary equipment and facilities for the smooth take off of the stations, but was awaiting Presidential approval for the release of license for their take off.

discrimination, no division. We have 17 Local Government Areas in Enugu State. None of them is complaining of marginalization. “There is also freedom in Enugu State.

Governor Ugwuanyi does not take offence when people have cause to criticize him. He learns from the criticisms and he dialogues a lot. The judiciary is free and independent, working without fear or favour. That is what democracy is all about. “Therefore, I have the mandate of the members of the Enugu State caucus at the National Assembly, and I also believe all our people who live in Abuja, to say that on account of the peace you have brought and all the work you have done for the last three years, we have no hesitation whatsoever in endorsing you for one more term in 2019�.

Other speakers, including Rt. Hon. Dogara, Hon. N’Abba, Dr. Nwodo, and Mr. Okechukwu, eulogized Gov. Ugwuanyi for his visible achievements as well as non-discriminatory, humble disposition and peaceful approach to governance in Enugu State.

Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi, who appreciated members of the Enugu caucus of the National Assembly for their show of love and support, noted that the prevailing peace between the federal lawmakers and his administration had resulted in numerous constituency projects and Federal Government interventions in the State.

He assured that the years of divisions now belonged to the past. “We have become one people united by the determination to develop our State and we will continue to remain one family. With your support and prayers, I will continue to lead an Enugu State where peace, justice, and equitable development remain the watchword. We will continue to work together to build that same united, prosperous, and great Enugu State envisioned by our fathers�, he added.

L-R: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications, Honourable Saheed Fijabi; Corporate Relations Executive, MTN Nigeria,Tobechukwu Nkemdilim Okigbo; and Chief Operating Officer, MTN, Muhammad Zia Siddiqui, at a programme in Abuja... recently

L-R: General Manager, EHSSQ OVH Energy, Dr. Oyet Gogomary; Paramount Ruler of Ekara, Onne/Chairman of Onne Council of Chiefs, Chief S.N. Jiala; the Clan Head of Onne Kingdom of Eleme/Chairman Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Rivers State, Chief Casca Ogosu; and CEO, African Clean-Up Initiative, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, at the Roll Back Malaria programme organised by OVH Energy for the Onne Community women and children in Rivers State...recently

L-R: Field Marketing Executive, Dominos Pizza, Arinze Agbilibeazu; Super Eagles Defender, Kenneth Omeruo; Field Marketing Executive Coldstone Creamery, Joy Emetu; Marketing Manager, Dominos Pizza, Ilyas Kazeem; and Field Marketing Executive, Dominos Pizza, Ademola Daniel, at the launch of Domino Pizza’s campaign tagged #Taste the Goal, in Lagos...recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Chairman, South West Farmers Association, Prince Olusegun Dasaolu; Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Legal Adviser, Ms Titilayo Asabi; DAWN Director General, Seye Oyeleye; and Managing Director, Orbital Solutions Global Services, Mr. Adewale Adegoke, during the signing of MOU on South West Farmers data gathering in Ibadan‌recently

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

53

POLITY Mike Nwachukwu

This is the Time for Old Owerri to be in the Senate Elder Yemi Akinwonmi is the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South). In this interview with Femi Ogbonnikan, he bares his mind on the position of his party in Ogun State where he hails from, the level of preparedness of the PDP in Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections respectively, and many other issues

M

ike Kwazemam Nwachukwu’s formal education started at St. Joseph’s Primary School, Ulakwo Obube through to Zik’s Avenue Primary School, Uwani Enugu, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. He then proceeded to Owerri Government Secondary School (OGSSIAN) where he obtained his ‘O’ Level Certificate in 1981. He attended the University of Nigeria (UNN) graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. This was followed by a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Port Harcourt.

Nwachukwu joined Diamond bank after MBA in April 1992 and left for Equitorial Trust Bank in 1997. Seven months after, he joined Fortune International Bank and retired from the banking industry in 2002. Afterwards, he offered financial and advisory services to private businesses.

Nwachukwu explains how and when he went into politics, and his plans for 2019: “I joined APGA alongside Chief Martin Agbaso and his supporters in 2005. This coincided with the party’s congress, where I contested for the office of the State Secretary and was elected.

I remained the State Secretary for about six years. During this period, we worked hard for Chief Agbaso’s gubernatorial ambition in 2007; an election he won and at the same time lost. We were in court between 2007 and 2011. It was an unfortunate experience.

“In the run up to the upcoming 2019 elections, I reviewed the kind of representation our people have been getting at the National Assembly and decided that though they have done their bit, I could offer more to the people of Owerri zone in terms of effective representation. Given my experience as a business person domiciled in Abuja who has worked on legitimate government jobs linked to the budgetary process, I have a deep understanding of what it entails. I know that if you do the right thing, one can effectively address the infrastructural deficits prevalent in our environment. With the opportunity of the election coming on, I thought I

“The assignment I am going to give myself will be to put these projects into the relevant budgetary periods while ensuring that the projects are funded and executed.

If we do these for the four years that we are going to be there, I am sure that we are going to achieve a lot. I am committing myself to that and I am going to do it

would be well suited to represent my people accordingly in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly- the Senate.”

Why is this businessman insisting that it is the turn of the old Owerri Local Government Area to produce the next Senator for Imo East? He explains: “To be precise, let’s starts from the zone I come from within the Owerri Senatorial district. Today’s Owerri North was part of the Old Owerri Local Government Area, made up of Owerri North, Owerri municipal, Owerri West and Ngor Opkala; in the history of the politics of Imo State, particularly Owerri Sentorial zone, our folks from Mbaise and Mbaike (Mbaitolu and Ikeduru) have always represented the zone in the Red Chamber, starting from the 1979 experience.

“We have had Chief Tony Anyanwu from Umu Okirika in Mbaise, Chief Isidore Obasi from Ihite Afor Ukwu also in Mbaise and Bright Nwanne from Ezinihite. After him came Evan Enwerem from Atta in Ikeduru who later became the Senate President and then Ama Iwuagwu (Late) from Mbieri in Mbaitoli. When Senator Ama Iwuagwu passed on, Senator Eze Ajoku from Owerri North stepped in to fill the vacuum for about nine months.

After the expiration of the term, Senator Chris Anyanwu from Mbaise stepped in and did two terms. After her, the pendulum swung wung back to Mbaike. This time around, it was Senator Sam Daddy Anyanwu. Perhaps, rhaps, Anyanwu is going to run for the governorship seat under the PDP as hee has said, otherwise he seeks for a second cond term.

“That created d a vacuum which I thought I could ld key in to, using my experience as a retired banker, I feel this is the right ht time for us in the old Owerri Local Government Area to have the opportunity ity to go and represent Nde Owerri zone. A lot of people are well qualified to seek for office from the old Oweri zone, ne, but I have decided to present myself. lf. Presenting myself does not stop any other person from coming out. We present nt ourselves for our people to make the decision. For me, I think I understand what the issues are. To me it is encapsulated psulated in addressing the infrastructurall deficits in our environn ment.

“The reality of the situation is that I am encouraged ed by my fellow APGA and my friends ds outside that belong to other parties. It has been encouraging.

Everybody tells lls me that I have what it takes to do it and should work hard because the major hurdle that I have to cross is to ensure that I get the tickett of APGA; and that once I get that done, I stand a very good chance.

“Everybody tells me that this time around, they are not looking at parties per say and that they are going to be focused on individuals,

their capacities, competencies and their abilities. I am encouraged by that.

Again, it essentially boils down to the fact that they will vote and line up behind me. That is my expectation. If I wasn’t certain in my mind that I will get the support of the broad spectrum of the electorates in Owerri zone, I won’t be running.”

Nwachukwu says he is not satisfied with quality of representation of his senatorial zone. For him, it could be better: “Like I did say, if the quality of representation was as much as we would have all desired, the level of infrastructural deficit that we are experiencing in our place wouldn’t be there. From Aboh Mbaise to Eziniihite, Ikeduru Ahiazu to Owerri North to Mbaitolu Ikeduru. Even from Owerri Municipal that is the state capital, to Ngor Okpala and Owerri West, you find litters all over the place and dangerous road infrastructure that makes you wonder whether the people we have sent there so far are really aware of these problems and issues.

“I went to Ogwa. The road to Inyishi is horrible. From Nworie Ubi to Mbieri is also nothing to write home about. If you are going to Itu in Mbaise through Ihite, it’s horrible. I can begin to mention these entire places one after the other, you will weep. That is the way it is all over.

“I intend to effectively engage the intervention agencies of the federal Governn ment, Ecological Fund office, border communities’ development agenn cies, Federal Ministry of Works, Envi-

ronment, FERMAN. Even the NDDC and also interface with members of the National Assembly who are members of the appropriation Committee in both Chambers to put into the budget from 2019 all these projects.

“The assignment I am going to give myself will be to put these projects into the relevant budgetary periods while ensuring that the projects are funded and executed. If we do these for the four years that we are going to be there, I am sure that we are going to achieve a lot. I am committing myself to that and I am going to do it.”

If Nwachukwu gets into the Senate come 2019, his priority will also include getting jobs for youths in the senatorial zone: “I have given a lot of thought to jobs for our youths and I am going to that office to bring some kind of interface between our brothers from the zone who are qualified and looking for jobs, and the relevant agencies, both government and private that are in a position to give out these jobs. As you well know, the office is not a job creation office, but you can do a lot of interface between those that want the job and those that are in a position to give the jobs so that you can package and present them properly.

“Let me tell you that today, it is no longer having the degrees and diplomas that t at really matter; there are basic relevant skills required outside of your paper qualification, which must be obtained if you want to move forward. There are also basic literacy skills which youths lack. You have to address that and prepare them to face the market and fit in properly to job openings. The world is moving ahead, and in doing this we are going to work with socio cultural associations like the Dozie Mezie Owerri that I belong to. We will do it for our people and create a data bank, collate their CVs and help those that don’t have the relevant qualifications and prepare them to acquire the relevant skills.”

54

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Î Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

PERSPECTIV E

VAIDS: The Dynamics of a Tax Amnesty The introduction of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) appears to be a potent attempt to raise Nigeria’s tax revenue-to-GDP ratio, with the additional ďŹ ve million taxpayers in the tax net. Ndubuisi Francis reports

F

or far too long, the Nigerian economy depended almost entirely on oil revenue for sustenance. While oil rent has provided the needed revenue to drive the economy over the years, the volatility in the market climaxing with the precitious fall in oil prices from mid-2014 made the drive for alternative sources of revenue more compelling.

Realising the desirability of shifting attention away from oil and boosting other revenue sources, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration moved towards changing the nation’s rather uninspiring tax profile.

Out of 70 million taxable adults in the country, only 40 million of them are active taxpayers.

Also, on the African continent, with the exception of Angola (5.7 per cent), Chad (4.2 per cent), Equatorial Guinea (1.7 per cent), Congo Democratic Republic (5.9 per cent) and Libya (2.7 per cent), Nigeria has the least tax revenue-to-GDP ratio of 6 per cent.

This is abysmally low for a country the size of Nigeria and the largest economy in Africa.

Tiny Swaziland in the Southern Africa region with a population of about 1.3 million inhabitants has a tax revenue-to-GDP of 39.8 per cent.

On the other hand, Vanuatu, a small Oceania country with a population of about 270,000 inhabitants has a tax revenue-to-GDP of 17.8 per cent.

Overall, on the global scale, Nigeria’s 6 per cent tax revenue-to-GDP is slightly better than 13 other countries out of 183 sampled.

Tiny East Timor with a population of 1.3 million people has a tax revenue-to-GDP of 61.5 per cent.

health. This was given practical expression in the United States of America between 2007 and 2009 with the global financial meltdown. The US revenue dropped from 26.9 per cent of GDP to 23.3 per cent of GDP.

Why Increased Tax Revenue is Desirable A Tax revenue is defined broadly as revenue collected from taxes on income and profits, social security contributions, taxes levied on goods and services, payroll taxes, taxes on the ownership and transfer of property, and other taxes. Total tax revenue as a percentage of GDP indicates the share of a country’s output that is collected by the government through taxes.

Therefore, there is a strong relationship between GDP and tax revenue. GDP is an indicator of a nation’s economic health, and economic growth is a major driver of the level of tax revenues. When tax revenues are up, they point to an economy that is in a better

Using VAIDS as Tax Driver When in 2013, the Canada Revenue Agency introducwd something similar to VAIDS, 15,133 cases were processed and the sum of $1.2 billion was recovered. Swveral countries (both developed and developing), including many states in the USA, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, and Spain, among others have had their tax amnesty programmes and they had all been successful.

With the implementation of VAIDS on July 1, 2017, the centre appears to be holding for the government, (the executor) on one hand, and the economy (the beneficiary) on the other, with the reported addition of five million in the tax net.

Kemi Adeosun

The robust implementation of VAIDS has seen an increase in the number of tax payers from 13 million before the assumption of office by the incumbent administration to 14 million in 2016 and 19.3 million in 2018.

At the formal launch of VAIDS on June 29, 2017 as a revolutionary and bold reform initiative through which citizens (taxpayers) are offered a window of opportunity to regularise their tax status relating to previous tax periods, without incurring penalties, the federal government recruited 7,500 community tax officers to educate people about tax issues in communities.

VAIDS was initially designed to last for nine months between July 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018.

Before the deadline, the clamour for an extension by various stakeholders was vociferous, prompting President Muhamnadu Buhari to grant another three months extension, which ends on June 30, 2018.

As of early December 2017, about five months after take-off, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Tunde Fowler declared that VAIDS was yielding the desired result as some companies had voluntarily paid N17 billion. Some other firms, he added, were expected to pay an additional N6 billion before the end of December 2017.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, also posited that the robust implementation of VAIDS had seen an increase in the number of tax payers from 13 million before the assumption of office by the present administration to 14 million in 2016 and 19.3 million in 2018. “It is instructive to note that some local and foreign companies are now disposed to the VAIDS initiative, and have started to regularise their tax status,� Adeosun said.

It does seem that its implementation has given further impetus to government to tackle unwholesome practices and abuses surrounding profit shifting.

Adeosun had noted that government was monitoring companies that generate profits in Nigeria but shift taxes to countries of jurisdiction where little or no tax is payable.

According to her, the practice was bad and unacceptable, stressing that the government would resist it. “These practices harm Nigeria; these practices harm Nigerians and these practices

must stop,� she noted.

The Larger BeneďŹ ts On the eve of the March deadline before President Buhari’s directive for an extension, the predilection by Nigerians to wait for the last minute was brought to the fore. In granting the extension, he stated that doing so was based on the conviction of the Ministry of Finance that the overall objective to increase compliance would be attained, and that additional revenue would accrue.

In conveying Buhari’s extension of the tac amnesty, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the three months extension followed appeals by professional bodies and individual taxpayers.

This is an indication that the willingness to embrace the tax scheme has risen.

To lend further credence to the success, Adeosun stated that all states of the federation now get more taxpayers in their tax net. “Every state is now getting more people into their tax net. We realised that taxes are sustainable source of revenue for government and government as you know cannot fully depend on oil. “We cannot be going to FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) always asking how much can we share this month,� she said.

According to her, the focus had shifted from sharing to internally generated evenue.

Under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the government madec The made a key development objective raising of raising tax revenue from 6 per cent to 20 per cent by 2020 Both the ERGP published in March 2017, which seeks to keep the fiscal deficit within the boundary established by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the draft 2018 Budget emphasise this revenue target.

To realise this will involve measures such as increasing non-oil tax revenue through a series of tax administration initiatives (improving tax compliance, broadening the tax net, employing appropriate technology) combined with tax policy reforms (strengthening tax legislation, introduction of tax on luxury items, and other indirect taxes to capture a greater share of the informal economy.

It seems, from available indicators that VAIDS is making a towering impact.

LG Electronics Plants Trees, Clean Government College Maroko Ugo Aliogo

L

G Electronics a global leader in Consumer Electronics and Mobile communications joined the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s World Environment Day by mobilising members of its staff for a tree planting and cleaning exercise.

According to officials of the company, “The world is undergoing changes as a result of climate change and global warming activities that is threatening the existence of mankind.

There is no better time than now to become friendlier to our environment.�

The tree planting and cleaning activities took place at Government College Maroko in Lagos State; the decision to plant trees, clean up, as well as donate some cleaning tools was informed by this year’s global theme “Beating Plastic Pollution�. It is aimed at creating more nature friendly environment which will on the long run guarantee a sustainable environment.

The event was well-attended and those present included staff of LG Electronics Nigeria, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Y&R Lagos, the media and students, staff and management of Government College Maroko, who all came out in their numbers to actively participate in the exercise.

The World Environment Day (WED) is a widely celebrated global day for positive environmental actions. WED is usually celebrated with colourful; activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, school competition, tree planting, recycling and clean-up campaign activities across the globe. It is a known fact that over the years LG Electronics has consistently marked the WED various

L-R: A JSS 3B student of Government Junior College Maroko, Azeez Ganiat; Principal, Government Junior College Maroko, Mrs. Abiodun Awujoola; Chief Financial OďŹƒcer, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Seungwoo Ha; and a JSS 3A student Godwin Sunday, planting a tree during LG Electronics’ visit to the school to mark 2018 World Environment Day‌ recently

activities which has earned it recognition from the government.

Speaking at this year’s WED celebration, Managing Director, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Taeick Son said, “It is only in cleaner and safe environment that we can achieve meaningful growth and development in the country. This is what has informed us as a company to embark on this tree planting and cleaning exercise in order to address the issue of environmental degradation in the

society to mark the world environment day.

This is the reason why we continuously design products that would meet world environment standard thereby helping our teeming consumers experience cleaner and greener lifestyle. Let me reiterate that people all over the world need to engage more in activities that will help safeguard the environment and the inhabitants, on that note I say happy World Environment Day.�

The company has consistently maintained

its commitment in ensuring a clean, healthy and eco-friendly environment where it operates all over the world through the green initiatives programs which has been replicated across the globe. It is not just about propagating for a cleaner and more nature friendly environment but is about translating words into action which is exactly what LG has been doing by designing products that are human-centric and environmentally friendly in all ramifications.

The Principal, Government College Maroko, Mrs. Abiodun Awujoola responding to the gesture from LG, said: “We are really happy that the company chose our school out of all the many schools in Lagos ( to observe this year’s World Environment Day, by planting trees on the field of Osborne school complex and the surrounding of Government Junior College, Maroko. It is indeed an honour and we are appreciative of this initiative. We would ensure that the trees being planted here today are taking good care of and the tools donated judiciously put to good use.�

It is important to note that the company is still actively involved in the business of churning out cutting-edge technological products for the utmost satisfaction of her consumers.

Some of its line of products include; All New Gencool Air Conditioner, NeoChef Microwave Oven, Instaview Refrigerator, FH2 sound system, Twin Wash Washing Machine, OLED TVs just to mention a few. LG is matching words with action by embarking on the tree planting and cleaning exercise to demonstrate its full commitment towards ensuring that a cleaner and friendly environment is achievable for all.�

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 9, 2018

55

PERSPECTIVE

The Ominous ‘Bloodshed’ in Ekiti Sufuyan Ojeifo

I

t was the inimitable pioneer Editor-inChief of Newswatch magazine, the late Dele Giwa, who wrote that one life taken in cold blood is as gruesome as many taken in a pogrom. His intervention, possibly in the context of some murder, is as significant now as it was when he made it. It underscored, and it still does, the sanctity of human life.

A Jacobean metaphysical poet, John Donne’s “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee” resonates and captures the essence of fatal predestination.

No man should terminate the life of another whether by accident or by some premeditation.

That almost happened in Ado-Ekiti on June 1, at the State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was the scheduled flag-off of the campaign of Dr. Kayode Fayemi for the forthcoming July 14 governorship election. Bullets that were accidentally discharged from the rifle of a policeman on illegal duty in Ekiti hit some persons, including Honourable Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB).

They consequently lost much blood.

But for God, MOB could have died. Two bullets were reportedly extracted from his arm and stomach. That incident was quite portentous. Coming on the heels of the first governorship primary of the party which was violently stalled, there are genuine fears about the possibility of violence characterising electioneering for the July 14 governorship election.

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has justifiably latched on the two back-to-back incidents to upbraid the APC and slam it for importing violence into Ekiti. The fear is, if within the APC, members could violently challenge and disrupt a simple process of choosing a standard bearer among themselves, would they not act much more violently against the ruling party in the quest for the ultimate governorship position?

It is instructive that the APC has faltered twice. Although the second incident has been attributed to the silliness of a policeman who was attached to a bank in Lagos but escorted a politician to Ekiti on illegal duty; that the near fatal act happened on a day that the APC was to flag off its

Fayemi governorship campaign bode evil. Are all of these saying something about the fate of the APC and its candidate in the governorship election?

Whether or not the APC believes it, both incidents are public perception disasters for it. Nigerians, within and outside Ekiti, now see the APC and its candidate, Fayemi, as violent and obviously desperate to win the July 14 governorship election. This is nevertheless arguable. But one thing is certain: the electioneering will be fast-paced and momentous. Both the PDP and the APC will deploy wits and grits to clinch the prize.

Unfortunately for the APC and Fayemi, Fayose, the incumbent governor that superintends the PDP machinery in the state, is not a gentleman in the battle for political supremacy and survival. Fayose is the last man standing for the opposition PDP in the South-West. He is the rearguard, trenchantly lampooning the orchestrated plot by the APC to foist a questionable change regime on the people.

There is no doubt that Fayose is ready for battle. He has learnt a great deal of lessons from the Ondo experience. He saw how

Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the acclaimed Iroko of the state politics, was dislodged through the deployment of federal might.

Buffeted from within the PDP in the state that was fractiously divided and challenged by the awesome Abuja forces, Mimiko was made to fight the greatest battle of his life.

Mimiko was stretched to his elastic limits in terms of funding the entire court processes that confirmed his anointed man, Eyitayo Jegede, as the authentic candidate of the PDP. The Supreme Court resolved the matter in his favour a few days to the election. That made it impossible for Mimiko to drive a robust statewide campaign for Jegede’s election. The powers-that-be used elements within the PDP to divide it in order to truncate Mimiko’s political plan to install his successor.

Luckily for Fayose, the political condition in Ekiti is not the same as the one that prevailed in Ondo during the 2016 governorship election. Perhaps, luckily for Fayose, the opposition APC in Ekiti has a great deal of tension of mutual distrust to deal with internally such that its single-mindedness is compromised ab-initio in the prosecution

of a burgeoning contestation for electoral supremacy.

Besides, Fayose’s invincibility in the history of governorship elections during which he had contested twice and had, on both occasions, unseated incumbents presents Fayemi’s APC with a veritable bugaboo. The streetwise political irritator from Afao Township knows the political terrain of Ekiti very well like he knows the back of his hand. He also understands the dynamics that underpin socio-cultural and political interactions in the state.

It is in the context of the atmospherics and the nuances of the political condition explicated supra that Fayose and Fayemi would be expected to outmaneuver each other. Fayose has the grace to connect with the people via the facility of local intellect forcefully delivered through the medium of Ekiti local dialect. If he chooses to convey his message in English, that will not be too different from his Ekiti dialect because of inflexion and intonation.

I hope Fayemi, a cosmopolitan individual will not repeat the same mistake he made in 2014 when he approached his campaign with a large dose of elitism. He should drop his phonetics in his bedroom and speak in the language that Ekiti people understand.

Fayemi should advisedly dismount from his elitist high horse and embrace populism as his new offering in the post-Fayose era.

But the opportunity that the electioneering should have provided for him to engage the people and drive the narrative of his “I can do things differently” would appear to have been lost to the incident of violent politicking as happened at the APC governorship primary and the accidental discharge that resulted in an ill-omened bloodshed at the flag-off of his governorship campaign in Ado Ekiti.

The attention of participants in and watchers of the political process in Ekiti has been adverted to these dimensions. The pressure is now on Fayemi and the APC to change the public perception that they have imported violence into Ekiti and violated the pristine enclave that has not witnessed any political violence since 2014. The narrative that his governorship enterprise might have been stained with blood and therefore jinxed must be approached with a different strategy to change the perception. This is not a tea party. The onus is on Fayemi and the APC. – Ojeifo, an Abuja-based journalist, contributed this piece via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com

PenCom and the Fate of Retirees Ifeanyi Omokwe

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am minded to argue that henceforth, anyone that would be appointed to lead the National Pension Commission (PenCom) must undergo a compassion test! The test must also be made mandatory for all executive members of the commission. Apart from competency test, passing a compassion test must be part of the criteria for promotion to top management positions.

This has become imperative in order to sustain the current gains under the leadership of Aisha Dahir-Umar, who brought empathy to the job of overseeing the Contributory Pension Scheme for public and private service. I don’t have the competence to suggest how this can be done, but government can hire consultants with such expertise to do the test. Passing such a test should weigh heavily in the consideration for future appointees of the commission.

Any keen observer of the activities of the Commission since Aisha Dahir -Umar was appointed the Acting Director General would not fail to see how the welfare of retirees has climbed to the top of the priority list of the commission. Although PenCom is charged with the administration of a uniform Contributory Pension Scheme for both the public and private sectors in Nigeria, and ensuring retirees get their benefits as and when due, our experience in the past has not been salutary.

Federal Government retirees, especially have been hard hit by the lack of compassion in the administration of pension funds. Many retirees couldn’t access their pensions months and even years

after exiting service. It led to a situation where people who gave their active years to public service became traumatised post retirement due to inability to access pension regularly.

But since Aisha Dahir-Umar entered the scene at the top of PenCom, things are looking brighter for retirees and less apprehensive for those planning to exit public service.

Pre-retirement seminars. Workshops and enlightenment tours have become more regular and painstaking. Potential retirees are taken through the process of pension fund administration, options after exiting service and other activities that could ease the pain of retirement.

The process for the verification of prospective retirees from the Federal Civil Service for 2019 is scheduled to being next month. This is a proactive move that is designed to eliminate hitches and delays in accessing pension. Although this is not the first time the agency is embarking on the exercise, there is a new sense of urgency and diligence in the process.

This is not surprising because Mrs. Dahir-Umar had carefully re-organised the agency and ensured that committed persons were put in sensitive positions.

Although this did not go down well with some staffers used to the old ways of doing things, the move has become key in the current regime of diligence service delivery in the commission. She has been accused of nepotism and favoritism by her detractors, but a look at the management list of the commission immediately puts a lie to the allegation.

Not only is the management team diverse, the re-organisation appeared

to have done so that square pegs can be in square holes. Again, the move is not surprising because the Acting DG was an insider at the time of her appointment. She doubtless saw at close range the mindless impunity and poor governance that characterised previous management of the commission.

No fair-minded observer of the activities of the commission would deny that important decisions of the commission are debated and agreed upon by the management under Aisha Dahir-Umar, and other stakeholders even though there is no board in place. It speaks to her commitment and compassion for senior citizens that the Acting DG relies on joint decision making to run the agency. The absence of a board would have been a license for some less patriotic executives to run roughshod on the agency and act without due consultations.

That was the previous practice of paying retirees 50 per cent of their RSA (retired savings account) gratuity upon retirement was recently changed. The previous template gave lump sum to beneficiaries at retirement and consequently paid meager sums as monthly pension. But following series of complaints by retirees that the template was not helpful to them in retirement, it was changed after consultations with stakeholders.

Thus, the reviewed template now allows retirees to earn at least 50 per cent of their last monthly salary as pension.

This directly addresses the complaint that retirees monthly pension was not enough to take care of their need.

Also, federal government employees who retired in January 2017, and who

are yet to start receiving pension would also smile soon. In this category are those who retired this year. An inter-ministerial committee of which PenCom is part of has worked out the details and included the funds in this year’s budget. This captured the total pension liability owed to the Contributory Pension retirees due to both the 15 per cent and 33 per cent pension increases of 2007 and 2014 respectively In addition, the outstanding accrued rights of federal government employees who retired in 2017 as well as the amount due to those retiring in 2018, have been submitted to the federal government for appropriation in the 2018 budget.

The federal government has also shown commitment to the plight of the retirees by settling outstanding pension liabilities, as evidenced by the release of N54 billion in April 2017.

There is no doubt that PenCom and the federal government are committed to ensuring these liabilities are cleared as soon as possible. It is commitment that shows compassion for people who spent their active years in the service of their fatherland.

If Dahir-Umar has been able to improve the efficiency of PenCom as an Acting DG without a board since April 2017, there must be something about her leadership that has kept her in the saddle. That something, perhaps, is her compassion for her retired compatriots.

But the credit must be shared with her colleagues at the commission who toil tirelessly to ensure good governance that makes it easier for retirees to access their monthly pension.

–Omokwe wrote in from Abuja

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Saturday, June 9, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Fasehun to Buhari “Reports from soldiers and officers on the field indicated that Boko Haram could be wiped out easily but for colluding military commanders who want the campaign prolonged for selfish commercial benefits.”

–The founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the military commanders in charge of the Boko Haram war.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Thank You Very Much, President Muhammadu Buhari

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ellow Nigerians, help me shout hurrah, and say a big thank you to our dear President for finally doing the unthinkable, as I recommended he should be doing only last week, in this column. The best way to lead a nation is to unite the people. Once elections are over, every actor must work together to deliver on campaign promises and return to the trenches closer to the next set of elections. This was what we expected in 2015, but now in 2018, it is as if we are still running election campaigns as the political actors continue tearing at each other’s throats. This was the basis of my recent intervention in which I pleaded that we should borrow a leaf from Kenya and heal the wounds in our own land.

I’m sure President Muhammadu Buhari must have enjoyed a deep sonorous sleep last Wednesday night, June 6, 2018, after announcing the recognition of Chief Moshood Abiola as the authentic winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, and declaring the same June 12 as our true Democracy Day. Trust me, President Buhari deserves accolades and a standing ovation for this

tough political decision. I really don’t care what motive(s) informed this extraordinary volte-face, but it is indeed a major coup against those who had obstinately and blatantly refused to do that which is right, fair and just.

There have been all kinds of conjectures on what must have happened to generate this veneration of Abiola and June 12 by President Buhari. Some have said the President is desperate to win substantial votes from South West Nigeria. Why not, all is fair in war. You must use what you have to get what you want. Others have concluded that President Buhari’s decision was fuelled by purely altruistic motives, and upon being nudged, he felt that it was auspicious to right this grave wrong and injustice 25 years after. Either way, I do not believe this is truly about votes. There is no guaranty that this decision, as beautiful as it is, can translate into more votes. For me, the most important thing is that the President has lifted a very heavy burden off his chest and shoulders and dumped it on all his previous predecessors, who lived in denial as if June 12 did not exist and Abiola was a ghost from outer space. What President Buhari has done is

simply an act of courage and bravery. Indeed, he has enough muscles and foot-soldiers in the South West, led by the Jagaban, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the power of incumbency and other appurtenances of government to do something so momentous and monumental as this on the altar of voting and political expediency. He could have wasted this glorious opportunity but God entered his heart and he took a leap of faith for fate. We must be charitable and magnanimoius enough to say “well done, for a job well done” and to give nonour to whom honour is due.

There are still many rivers to cross but my advice as always is that the President should resist the temptation of heating up the polity. There is nothing force can achieve that peace cannot achieve much better and cheaper. I have spoken with some of my brothers and sisters in the Abiola family.

They are truly grateful and very happy that the President looked in their direction after suffering in silence for 25 agonising years. Chief Abiola did not deserve such cruel punishment for winning a free and fair election. His businesses also perished in the process. This was a classic example of man’s

inhumanity to man. The time has come for all of us to come together, embrace and move Nigeria forward from our different corners. Never again should any Nigerian be victimised, humiliated and destroyed in the name of politics. Man shall not live by power alone. We brought nothing to the world, we shall take nothing from it.

This is not a time to taunt or witch-hunt anybody.

Abiola was never a vindictive person. He was in the mould of uncommon statesmen like Mahatma Ghandi and Nelson Mandela, men of peace who taught our world the beauty of forgiveness and peaceful co-existence. Abiola did not fight with guns and bayonets but went to war with personal determination and conviction. He died, paying the supreme price with his blood, and that of so many other patriots who laid down their lives, so that democracy could flourish in Nigeria. Let every man live with his conscience and let’s leave vengeance to God. I hope and pray this is the beginning of a new democratic dispensation in our country Nigeria.

There is sweetness in doing good and only bitterness in doing evil.

AS FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON HEADS TO NIGERIA Fellow Nigerians, I have spent the last two weeks in Paris, France. To say I love Paris is an understatement. I love to visit French restaurants, wherever I can find one. I’ve been here many times, yet I’m not tired or bored of coming to spend my quiet moments in one of the most famous tourist destinations on earth. It has been said that you must see Paris before you die. I admire the renowned patriotism, romanticism and fairness of the French. One of my biggest regrets is that I did not study French in school.

It is strange how Nigeria is virtually surrounded

by French-speaking countries and majority of us can’t even offer greetings to our neighbours in French.

This is why I’m excited about the good news that Nigeria is about to play host to one of the youngest Presidents in the world, Emmanuel Macron, next month. And not just that Nigeria is set to host the biggest and best Alliance Francaise establishment in Africa. This means more Nigerians can learn about French culture and language in Lagos, our commercial capital.

This is a welcome development which is bound to promote greater interaction between Nigeria and France and expand business opportunities, cultural exchange and employment.

The story of President Macron is bound to inspire the youths of Africa. It is a fairy-tale. He was born on 21 December 1977 in the French village of Amiens. He had his primary education in the village and went on to complete his final year of High School in Paris. He obtained a degree in Philosophy from the University of Paris-Ouest Nanterres La Defense. Afterwards he expressed the beginning of a literary bent which was to impact positively on his political career by being an editorial assistant to a French Philosopher writing his memoirs and also becoming a member of the editorial board of the literary magazine ESPIRIT. Subsequently, he then went on to obtain a Master’s of Public Affairs from the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Sciences Po. Thereafter, he trained and graduated from the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in 2004 and during the course of that training worked at the French Embassy in Nigeria.

Upon his graduation from ENA, he worked as

President Emmanuel Macron of France a senior civil servant at the Inspectorate General of Finances. He resigned from the Civil Service in 2008 to become an investment banker at Rothschild & Cie Banque. President Macron was responsible for putting together several business deals at Rothschilds. He continued his affiliation and dalliance with the Press by becoming friends with a member of the supervisory board of Le Monde.

Thereafter he assisted with the recapitalisation of Le Monde and was promoted to Partner level at the bank in 2010. Also in 2010, he was appointed managing director of the Bank and put in charge of Nestle’s acquisition of a subsidiary of Pfizer.

He became an instant millionaire as a result of the huge success of this Nestle transaction. The money and contacts he made as an investment banker and friend of the press were to stand him in good stead during his successful 2017 Presidential bid.

His political career is the stuff of dreams for aspiring young politicians. He joined the Socialist Party of France when he was 24, but was an effective member only after 2006. In 2007, he attempted to run for office in the National Assembly on the platform of the Socialist Party, but his application was declined. He joined the staff of President Francois Hollande in 2010, but declined

to be Chief of Staff to Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, that year. In 2012, he was made a Deputy Secretary-General on President Hollande’s Staff.

Macron resigned from the government in June 2014 to continue his personal aspirations and was employed as Research Fellow at the University of Berlin with the help of his rich businessman friend. Alain Minc. In this period he declined to be a candidate for municipal elections in his hometown of Amiens. Providence was soon to smile on him as he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in the government of Prime Minister, Manuel Valls. He was the youngest Minister of the Economy since 1962. As a Minister he pushed through several significant business reforms including his signature law package known as Macron 1.

Macron left the Socialist Party in August 2015 and launched his own party, En Marche, in his hometown in April 2016. It was soon clear that he was a popular candidate who engaged and resonated with all sectors of the French populace.

He resigned from the government in August 2016 to launch his campaign to be President in the 2017 Presidential election. In November 2016, Macron declared that he would run as the candidate of En Marche! Macron was heavily supported by the media and business. He won 24% of the votes in the first round of the Presidential elections on 23 April 2017 and, as this was the most votes, went into a run-off election with Marine Le Pen of the National Front. He won this second round of Presidential elections on 7 May 2017 by a landslide victory of more than 66%, thus becoming the youngest ever French President.

In June 2017, En Marche and its political partner, the Democratic Movement won a comfortable majority in the National Assembly, winning 350 seats out of 577. Indeed, En Marche itself won an outright majority of 308 seats.

Since being elected, President Macron has stamped his unique authority and style not just on French life, but also on the European Union, international politics, business, anti-terrorism, climate change, culture, religion and the general well-being of humanity. His stance on various issues including nuclear proliferation, terrorism and the unity of Europe has won him many

admirers and increased the stature of France in the comity of Nations.

President Macron’s visit can therefore not be coming at a more opportune time. Nigeria is preparing for its own democratic litmus test , and it is a homecoming of sorts because of his short stint in Nigeria. It is also symbolic that his visit coincides with the beautiful renovation and refurbishment of the new Alliance Francaise building in Lagos. This is because of President Macron’s avowed belief that cultural interaction can only benefit the improvement of progressive relations between countries.

Playing co-host to President Macron as he visits Nigeria, is the French Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Denys Gauer. Ambassador Gauer is a seasoned International diplomat who has served in various capacities both domestically and internationally on behalf of the French Foreign Ministry. He is an adept and able diplomat whose views are well respected and cherished. He has done a lot for Franco-Nigerian relations since arriving in Nigeria as the French Ambassador which has led to increased business and cultural relationships between French and Nigerian citizens. Indeed, it is this sort of interaction that has facilitated the spectacular facelift that Alliance Francaise Lagos now enjoys.

The Alliance Francaise Fondation is the premier cultural organisation in the world, founded on 21 July 1883, and now has 800 local associations in about 133 countries. It is supported by grants from the French Government and the generosity of patrons, including its founding fathers who are notable Frenchmen like the scientist, Louis Pasteur, the publisher, Armand Colin and writers, Jules Verne and Ernest Renan.

The renovated building, which is a villa now has new additions which have transformed it almost completely. There are spectacular alterations done to the amphitheatre and the internal auditorium to make them bigger and better. The accommodation has been improved and increased. And there is superb space for the library and administrative offices. Quite simply, the modernisation that has gone into the building is simply breath-taking and only befitting of an organisation with the size and stature of Alliance Francaise Fondation.

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